If I Tell Thee A Tale
by Clockwork-Atom
Summary: In order to gain the love of a certain aqua haired bar maiden, Captain Tenoh of the ship, Iphis, must write down her adventures. A gigantic Author's Note in the beginning. A/U Read and Review! First part complete!
1. Author's Note

**AN:**

**Hey Guys!**

**Thanks for sticking **with me through this story and all of its raw glory! For the next few weeks I will be going through the chapters and making minor edits (grammar, names, and changing sentence and paragraphs here and there that don't make sense.) It's a wonder that I havne't been shot dead yet when looking at some of these errors. I'm wondering how I missed them to begin with... But! I have this new-fangled thing called the Kindle, and I've been using it to highlight and such, so there _hopefully_ won't be anymore of those horrible, nightmarish errors.

I can't stop laughing at how short I thought this story was going to be. Damn, I was delusional. Stories seem to take over and get a mind of their own sometimes (don't you just hate that?) I don't even remember what the original ending was supposed to be... And that's what I get for daydreaming more than writing. But hopefully you guys see that as a positive thing and will continue to live on the edges of your seat as you watch my little captain and her barista friend stumble through their adventure!

**This story has been** in my head for quite a while- it actually all started with a friend who wanted me to create a lesbian pirate captain... And out popped this. The chapters are a bit long, I know, but I think of them as short stories that link up into an overhanging novel. Each "arc" is about two acts, and has its own plot and storyline, but has an overhanging plot to connect it all into a greater storyline. And I hope you find it enjoyable being written this way! The facts about pirates are quite a bit skewed in this story, be aware- this story was meant for fun and my sanity. (I have a lot of interesting facts that I could spout out about pirates, I love them to death.)

And if you've gotten this far in reading this, I suppose I should get the manditory stuff out of the way: All senshi, sailor moon stuff belong to Naoko. All other characters, mostly secondary, as well as locations mentioned are all my ideas. The plot is an original, by me-I'd be happy if you didn't steal it.

Warnings: lots of Shoujo-ai and fluff, Some light yuri towards the end though not enough to warrent being rated M, I don't think. Some violence and language.

**_And below, you can read about where I got my ideas for each of the chapters, instead of the end of them. All at once everyone!_**

* * *

**Prologue: **Ouraunos is actually another name for the God Uranus. I just made a few spelling modifications for our second in command to make it more entertaining looking. Randy is short for Miranda, one of the planet Uranus's moons. Proteus was nicknamed the "Old Man of the Sea". Elysia comes from the Elysian feilds. This place will actually come more into play later-more so than being our character's favorite place to get drunk. Ariel is another moon of Uranus', though for some reason I still always think of Ariel from the little mermaid. I felt it appropriate to name the bar that because it joined up our air and water characters quite well. ^_~

**Act One: **The star seed comes from the fifth and final season of Sailor moon (actually pops up a little bit sooner in the manga-SuperS) and is the essence of a Sailor Scout. Here, it is used a little bit differently. A little bit. Haruka's ship, _Iphis_, was named after a character in the _Metamorphoses_. The character fell in love with a girl and prayed to the Gods. She was turned to a He, and was able to marry this girl. Diamond's ship, is called Lune Noir, which means black moon in French. The Lucifer tale described in the story I felt was appropriate- the creator, Naoko frequently used bible metaphors for her manga, Christ imagery and such.

**Act Two: **Scorpus is a word modification of Scorpio, which is Sailor Pluto's Astrological Sign. I had a hard time making her country tribal-esc, futuristic, and at the same time fashionable. Naoko did have her as a fashion designer in her profile!

**Act Three: **I wanted this to tie up some of the question marks from the beginning (IE where Haruka came from, the details of Michiru and Haruka's meeting, which tells the reader the plot of the whole story). While I do like to just throw the reader in, I still like to explain things after the first major plot action. Though I hope I did not do this too late... There are still some blanks here and there, which I hope to fill in later. Anne Wreade's name I got from the two great female pirates: Mary Read and Anne Bonny. Though neither of those two were lesbians- upon hitting on each other and finding out their true genders, they both decided that they would make good friends. Her Pirate name, Titania, is (surprise!) another moon of Uranus', while her ships name, The Nereid, is one of Neptune's moons. While at the sametime, the barkeep of the Ariel was named Oberon, another moon of Uranus'. The two characters, Titania and Oberon, are Michiru and Haruka's kind of guides- the people who launch them into their 'second' lives. In a way, these two secondary characters in the chapter are alike in their jobs, so in my head I think of them as quite a good couple.

**Act Four: **None

**Act Five: **I wanted to give Makoto's ship a steam punk feel (as I've always loved steam punk and wanted an excuse to plunk it in), so I hope I succeeded in giving that feel... Makoto's first in command's name, Jova, was changed slightly from Jove, another name for Zues/Jupiter. Ganymeade is one of planet Jupiter's moons, as well one of Zues' lovers in the myth. Thebe as well for both. Zues was kind of man whore, wasn't he? The name of the air ship, Io's Argos, was derived from the myth where Zues was sleeping around (again) and just before Hera came in, he changed her to a cow. Suspicious, the Goddess sent Argos (a thousand eyed monster) to watch her, as well as threw in some annoying flies for good measure.

**Act Six: **None. Some will be placed eventually.

**Act Seven: **None. Some will be placed eventually.


	2. Prologue

**If I Tell Thee A Tale**

**Prologue**

The storm was finally picking up, clouds piled over one another, and stirring up a restless metallic wind. A ship, tiny by the comparison of the sea it swam in, rocked back and fourth steadily, even as the storm moved. The air felt electrical as Haruka stepped out of her Captain's Cabin to gauge the weather herself, heavy jacket and strips of worn cloth fluttered out behind her as the wind turned.

Behind her, the crew continued their work, few below decks as they slept before their shift took over. Men dumped barrels overboard, full of rotted meat and damp, mold infested bread. But even before it hit the water, the wind picked up the scent moving it back over Haruka's nose. Wincing, she pulled away from the railing, The captain sighed uneasily, watching food and water dwindle day by day. Fortunately the ale was still in high supply.

"We're not sleeping out under the stars tonight," said a heavy voice behind her. Haruka turned around to face the second in command, and man that could strangely play as her double, even right down to her lithe figure and pale hair... Ouranös.

"Nope," she replied back. "I don't think it'll be too severe of a storm tonight—not as bad as what we have been through before anyway."

They continued their separate rounds, Haruka moving to the door that would enter her into the decks below the Sloop. The decks below mostly contained the quarters of the crew and carried what few supplies they needed. The ship only carried about fifty, and even if it was small in size, it still required a high amount of maintenance.

Few of the muscled men that weren't above, or sleeping, were taking care of the leaks that occasionally sprung through the thick wood of the ship. Between the fingers of a bandannaed man, was a thick, white tack that they used to seal leaks. She paused for a moment, and bent over to grab a handful of the stuff herself, finding it sandy until she worked with it between the palms of her hands. Randy glanced over, acknowledging her presence, and continued, while she managed a leak above his head, using her tall height to her advantage.

When she was finished, she moved on. "Thank-you Captain," Randy muttered.

The narrow passageway opened up to the main quarters of the crew. Hanging from the low, beamed ceiling were hammocks, and on the floor, scattered here and there were sleeping sacks. Damp blankets scattered the place. As she moved passed, she could hear the faint muffled sounds of snoring as ten of her crew continued to sleep. Ticking could be heard evenly as pocket watches measured the time, along with larger metal clocks that would ring out an alarm for when the shift was to begin.

Another door led still farther downwards, leading to their food and drink supply, two of her men already down there when she reached the bottom of the creaky stairs.

"How are the tallies coming up?" she asked, her voice firm.

"We need to stop soon and pick up more food. Half of our supply was contaminated and we had to throw it overboard—" Proteus replied, pondering out loud. Haruka raised her hand, stopping him mid sentence. She had already seen all of that, so he continued to other business. "The water has to be thrown over soon as well... Tenoh."

Most of her crew referred to her by her last name, still used to the respect that she commanded when she first came aboard and took the lead. She nodded her head, taking the scrap of parchment that he was using to tally up the goods. She sighed, closing her eyes—that would be just enough food, if rationed correctly, to last another three days. Landfall would be on the fourth. Good.

Handing him back the parchment scrap, she launched herself up the large crates, her boot grabbing steady balance on a crate's edge—until she could reach into the upper most one, finding a round object wrapped in a cloth.

"Carry on," she said, as she moved up the unsteady stairs, moving towards the upper deck. When she finally passed the quarters and onto the upper floor, just when it began to rain, only then did she unwrap the object—and frowned. A once brilliant green apple, now shown large spots of brown and gray With a sneer, she threw it over the railing, letting it roll from her finger tips, and watched it as it was gobbled up by restless, hungry waves.

Making do with going hungry, she moved to the Captain's Quarters, but not before nodding her head towards Ouranös, relieving herself of the day's duties. On deck, already her crew were lighting the lamps, the cloudy skies causing an early nightfall. Hanging from poles, raised from the railing, they were alight by oil, and inclosed by glass, so that the water would not burn them out. There were only about fourteen of them total, casting small, bright orbs of light onto the deck, while the crew continued to work hard, preparing for the storm ahead.

Haruka's quarters were small, made that way from the shelves that lined the polished walls. The shelves were loaded with the gold-printed spines of books and maps that were inked carefully with vibrant colors and black inks, rolled up and held together by leather thongs. A heavy oak desk lined itself in front of the large glass window that overlooked the restless seas. The top of the desk was covered with more thick parchment, as well as a globe gilded with golden arms so that it could spin freely.

Instead of a bed nailed to the floorboards, she had a hammock just like the rest of her crew hanging comfortably in the middle of the room. Before settling herself in it, Haruka moved towards her desk, picking up a roll of fresh parchment, as well as other writing implements. Hanging from the wall behind the hammock was her own lamp, and she twisted the key at its side, a small flame growing from the center.

Seconds later, she was settled comfortably from the hammock, feeling it swing softly from side to side from the motions of the waves below. Haruka rearranged her pillows and blankets so that she could sit upright, settling the ink jar steadily wedged between her elbow and the fabric of the hammock With her other hand, she unscrewed the lid, dipping the quill in it, skimming off the access ink against the edge of the the jar. While the quill was between her teeth, she unrolled the pliant parchment and used her free elbow and hand to keep it in place against her knees. She began to write.

Haruka began to scribble something that resembled a letter. Her handwriting, because of the surface she was writing on, was crooked, wobbly, and had ink blots here and there as it followed the pattern of her legs. To make the process less tedious, she wrote mostly in shorthand. Every so often, she paused to read what she had written so far, before continuing the letter. Though she got a page in, she crumpled the paper, and threw it overboard, and started anew. She stretched her writing hand, and dipped the quill into the small jar, then wiped it along the rim so it wouldn't drip.

The nerve wracking thing about the whole ordeal was that she wasn't sure whether to write it as a letter, or a story. Should she embellish it or tell the whole truth? Should she simplify it?

Some time later, she found that she was satisfied that the letter was long enough. Her hand was cramped, and her thumb was twitching from so much writing. She looked back over the completed pages, the handwriting small and cramped, words crossed out here and there, but there it was; her first letter. Eyes blinking heavily, Haruka shifted around uneasily, digging into her pockets for her own pocket watch.

Finding that it was already late into the night, she pushed the small watch back into place, and screwed the lid back onto the small ink container, before swinging out of her hammock, putting everything back onto the desk. She looked out of the window as she shrugged off her jacket, seeing lightening skirting the ocean from a distance. Most of the decorations, and jewelry came off, either hung on hooks or hidden in unassuming boxes. Her boots, she placed bedside, in case of emergencies—but, as she woefully glanced at the window once more, she would feel it before someone awoke her.

Easily, Haruka launched herself into the hammock, a contented moan escaping her lips, as pillows and cloth fabric enveloped her.

* * *

Night was clear and black, stars peaking through, while below it a placid mirror reflected it's brilliance. A small island, three miles in radius, floated gently on the surface of the sea's momentarily glassy surface. Store keeps moved about their property, lighting the street lamps around them, orange stars springing up all over the place. Even if nightfall had taken place, the island was still alive, even more so; ships still making landfall, people still trading coins for supplies and beer.

A familiar sloop docked by one of the shorter piers, the name _Iphis_ printed proudly on its shallow hull. Crew jumped over its deck, the men springing to life for the first time in weeks, stiff after the long voyage. Haruka's boots clicked evenly along the wood of the pier, as she made her way into the island.

Even if it was counted as an island, there were two peculiar things about the place. Number one, was that the island was so small and known to so few (such as pirates and the like), it was not marked on any normal maps. The second was that it was not made out of normal land-like materials. Instead it was made up of things that the earth had spit up, and humans decided to pick it back up and reuse.

There were theories here and there left by scientists that passed by the curious island: it was built mostly atop a coral reef, hardened as it died. Though this had never been seen long enough to be proved. Whatever was on the lower floors was enough to hold up layers and layers of stone and wood, built layer upon layer as time passed. It also helped that the ocean was shallow at this point as if meant for an island to go there anyway.

The small island was built up so much and so chaotically, that its structure seemed secure enough. And it was also the perfect hang out for any pirate. There were few laws that held the loose society together, enough to keep everyone in line, but few enough to keep the outlaws from being hung from outside offenses—unless some crime was committed directly on the tiny land. That rarely happened.

It was fondly named Elysia: if anywhere else felt like hell to the harrowed pirate, then this was a Haven and the place to be. No wonder it was like a second home to Haruka.

She breathed in the warm salty air, tinged with food cooking on open coals, and the smell of drinks made of exotic fruit. Each time the ship made landfall, the captain made sure that it made anchor somewhere different. Other than the main structure of wood plank and the similar style of lanterns that dotted the place, no store, inn, bar, ec cetera, was the same. Elysia revealed something new each time, though kept the same feeling of home, no matter where she set foot. The island was constantly changing; constantly shifting and growing with some new treat.

Randy, as he passed, threw her a small sack, snapping her out of her reverie. She caught it just as he tipped his hat, and suddenly the next moment he was swallowed up into the depths of the island city. The weight was reassuring in Haruka's hand, and she found that it was a small pouch of coins, her cut of the loot.

Sighing at the failure of the last voyage, she shook her head, tossing the pouch upwards a few times, as she moved deeper into the wooden land maze. It was a party everywhere, and even though the payoff wasn't much, it was still no reason to not have fun. For the moment she was left alone to her own devices, her first in command probably already humping some wench. The thought seemed humorous because her blond twin was proper in every way. Still, everyone had carnal urges and Ouranös was no different. Randy, however, probably went off to gamble to make more of his own meager cut of the profits.

The time alone was welcomed. Even if her small crew of fifty was like a family to her, it was still the small things that they knew to push her buttons that made her glad of any solitude. Eventually they all got on one another's nerves.

She passed by building after building, lined with lanterns to easily light her way, making her way up some stairs to the upper levels. Many sat outside, enjoying the peaceful, warm weather, playing cards and trading tales of heroic courage. An old storyteller sang epic poetry, a few crowding around to hear him. Haruka almost paused, tempted to hear one version or another of stories that she grew up hearing. The sounds of voices, yelling, laughing, shrieking, wafted out of inns and bars, the sound of glasses being clinked together, liquid being spilled, coins being dropped.

Captain Tenoh paused by an inn that struck her fancy; the _Ariel_. It was a busy place, cramped and warm, atmosphere brimming with life. Booths lined to the right of the entrance, fading off into the back where it was more secluded, and a second floor above them. To her left was the main counters where the barkeeps took charge, and worn, round tables spotted the center. Somewhere in the second level played live music from a fiddle and accordion.

When one of the barkeeps greeted her, he asked if she would be staying the night somewhere in the second and third floors; we have plenty of openings on either floor. His gray eyes shown as he dried a heavy glass mug with a worn rag. He was a large, older man, and seemed friendly despite the piercing eyes. Haruka considered, then placed a few silver coins on the table, putting in enough extra for a mug of their best ale.

"Yes I would," she replied easily, with a relaxed grin.

The barkeep filled her mug to brimming, handing her a heavy, bronze key as well. She nodded her thanks, then took a sip as she moved towards one of the back, secluded booths. The Captain heavily leaned back, resting her long legs on the table, her mug comfortably in her lap. She let the exhaustion finally take over, closing her eyes. A few more sips, and the smooth burning washed over her limbs to the very tips of her fingers and toes.

"Excuse me, sir?" called a voice to her right. Haruka's deep blue eyes snapped open, after what felt like hours, to face one of the barmaids. "Do you need seconds on your mug?" She raised her own half-full pitcher to indicate a refill. "There was a man who ordered rounds on the whole house upstairs," she explained, aqua eyes unblinking.

Haruka blinked several times, blaming the sudden awkwardness on the slow stupor that was beginning to take over her whole body slowly, nodding her head. "I'm sorry, normally I'm more the life of the party," she said, with a crooked grin on her face.

The bar maiden looked surprised for a moment, though Haruka couldn't seem to read why. The aqua-eyed woman looked down as a blush rose to her cheeks, hoping that it was before Haruka could realize that she had been staring for too long.

It was funny how simple that meeting was, leading into something far more complicated; and far more frustrating for the Captain of the _Iphis_.

* * *

Morning came, the sun shown through the thick glass. Haruka's eyes slowly opened, seeing the shards of light make it passed the desk to show on the thick carpet. The light flickered as a figure sat at her desk shuffled parchment around every once in a while. The captain turned back over as soon as she realized that it was Ouranös.

"You slept through the night well," commented the first in command.

Haruka vaguely remembered the sound of thunder rumbling through the night, and the sound of rain pattering heavily across the glass and the ceiling above her. She pushed her head deeper into the pillow, wanting to fall back to sleep, but knowing that sleep wouldn't come.

"Then nothing happened last night, I take it?"

"Water logged decks, a broken lantern from one of the crew slipping and crashing into it. Other than that, all clear. We're still on course," he replied easily. The sound of papers being shuffled around fluttered in her alert ears. She could hear him stifling a yawn.

"You should be off to bed, shouldn't you?" Ouranös had more similarities to the tall blonde, one of them being insomnia. But then again, who would want to sleep through a night on a ship in the middle of the sea? Both captains could survive on six hours or less of sleep, and often their shifts ran together.

"Mmmm," he grunted. He smacked down the quill, and finally Haruka gave up the thought of sleep, turning back over to see him leaning back in the chair, hands behind his head. She noticed that his hair was stringy with last night's rain, and his own jacket still thick with moisture. "First time in the last few hours that I've been somewhere dry."

Haruka rolled her eyes as she shifted her weight into sitting position before standing up. Her deft fingers laced up her pants before she trailed around for her jacket, and a fresh pair of stockings. She was ready moments later, while Ouranös appeared to have fallen asleep at the chair. Smirking, the captain placed a wool blanket up to his shoulders, his own hammock laying empty at the opposite end of the room. She pulled a heavy rope at the side of the window, the heavy velvet curtains closing as she did, before making her way on deck.

In hand, she carried her letter, the many pages that had taken days to write, so that she could read it while making the first rounds of the day. The parchment glared white in the bright morning light, her eyes taking moments' to adjust to the outdoors. Around Haruka, her crew worked, or relaxed a bit. Few worked on getting the single sail out again, tugging the heavy ropes, turning the mast into place. Others sat around empty barrels playing dice, smoking what was left of the dry tobacco, as the sea around them shifted smoothly around them.

"Wind was in our favor Cap'in Tenoh," said one of the burly men at one of the games. Randy stood, making himself more noticeable to the young captain. "Cut at least a half days sailing."

When she nodded, he settled back down on his makeshift bench, and she continued down the deck. Haruka moved up the three stairs to the next level where the helm was, Randy guiding the ship gently on course. Behind him, two other crew sat on the floor, sharpening their private stash of weapons; small daggers, and a sword, the sound of metal ringing in the air. Another sat on the opposite corner cleaning his pistol, polish resting at his heel.

"Setting plans for our next course?" asked Randy, glancing over.

Haruka shook her head, snapping her thoughts back to the present. She smirked. "Hardly. Since when do I think that far ahead?"

"I get the feeling that you're always thinkin' ahead despite what you insist."

The captain chuckled. "No it's a letter." She paused a moment, and to her chagrin, she found another jumbled sentence that made little sense. "A letter that I was commanded to do."

"You can be commanded?" Two shook his head in mock disbelief. Then his eyes widened, and this time he gave his captain a long hard look. "Unless..."

"Keep your mouth shut. And that's an order."

Randy whistled.

Haruka doubled her efforts on focusing her attention on the thick pile of parchment, as she trailed down the stairs, Randy's laughter in the air. Unfortunately, her efforts were lost when a strong wind, the very same wind that gave them a head start, whipped the parchment like sails in her fingers. Few of the sheets torn between her nails, a few more stumbling off in the wind, before she had the chance to react. Stunned, her grip slackened, and few more escaped.

"Damn!" she found herself saying under her breath, the moment too surreal as her ticket to ecstasy was lost in the wind, soon to be swallowed up by the waters below. Then louder as it finally registered. "DAMN DAMN!"

Two sheets skittered along the deck, as the wind teased her. Members of her crew began to pick up on her plight, and reached out for them, crumpling them in the process. When she gathered up what was left in the chaos, Haruka looked down at her remaining pile. And her heart sank. Five sheets remained, torn and abused. Randy, who had come up behind her, began to laugh, the chuckle rumbling up from his throat.

"Too late to begin again?" he asked, following her to the edges of the deck.

As if in answer, her hand loosened on the remaining pages of her tale, the trickster wind licking them up and carrying them off into the distance, where the ocean reached up far into the horizon.


	3. Act One

**Act One: Prince Diamond and The Star Seed**

"So what did you say happened to the letter that you wrote me?" A light marine-colored eye brow rose, as Haruka was forced to explain her flimsy alibi that happened to be true. Even though there was a teasing smile touching the woman's lips proving that the situation was not serious, it was Haruka's ego and honesty that was not taken seriously either.

Hopeless, the sea captain leaned back against the booth's bench, propping her legs up as she stretched her long body out. "The wind swept it up." Her own voice sounded like she didn't take herself seriously either. The captain found that she was staring at her mug, the frothy liquid near the bottom; she raised her eyes. "Do I get a pity fuck then?" More of a joke than a serious statement, showing the maid that she didn't believe it either.

The woman's perfect lips pursed together, and Haruka was very aware of a strand of wavy marine hair spilling over her shoulder, and down her collar bone as she shifted her weight. A piano played from the upstairs of the _Ariel_, the sound of the musician's boot thumping to the time beating softly through the ceiling. Haruka tried to listen to the calming music as the bar maiden considered life and death.

"You can tell me yourself, of your harrowing adventure," she said, her eyes looking perfectly seductive.

The captain sat up, legs moving off of the bench. She leaned forward, as she felt her jaw drop. "I don't even get a name to the person I'm confiding all of my life's story to?"

The bar maiden took her time, as Haruka realized that she was accustomed to do from the last few meetings. She sat up herself, and stroked the lone strand back behind her ear before refilling the other woman's mug to brimming. The aqua eyes focused perfectly and calmly on her task, before raising back up, her lips pursing again as she thought. "Michiru."

"That's better," replied Haruka, leaning back to her previous position. "Now I have a name to the face... Michiru."

"So what happened?" Michiru prompted, placing the large, half empty pitcher back on the wood of the table.

The Captain of the _Iphis_ took a long sip from her glass, never pulling her dark blue eyes from the woman. Took her time, playing the barmaid's game. She placed it back down, then straightened up into sitting position. She leaned forward. "First you need some background information before I begin the actual story."

Instead of doing the insistent whining that Haruka was so fond of, Michiru sat back without a word, letting the other woman get settled back into the past.

"Some pirate ships take on a sort of boss, a ruler of a country, and become privateers—legalized pirates, at least in that country and to any other country that ruler has jurisdiction over," Captain Tenoh began. She suddenly felt nervous, two blue spotlights focused directly on her. Michiru's deep blue eyes swallowed her up, pulling in any word that came out of her throat. The woman swallowed and continued on, finding that it was getting easier the more she went on.

"It works for some people, gives them safety and security—for a while at least. But it was something that I didn't want my ship and my crew to get into. Too messy. No matter how much some begged me and insisted that we would make more of a profit. Plus, I wanted to be more choosy if I were to get myself into a situation such as that, and not give my services to any old ruler..."

* * *

"So where are we going this time?" Proteus asked, turning his eyes from the sea to the captain. "Ye putting us on another wild goose chase?"

The captain ignored the comment, never once pulling her eye from the spyglass. Landfall was within reach, the mixed, bright colors of tropical trees moving in sight of the glass-and-copper gadget. Somewhere in that jungle contained exactly what she was looking for—and she was in luck—no other ship looked as if they had laid anchor.

She began to laugh at her luck as she dropped the spyglass from her eye. She grabbed Proteus' shoulder, shaking vigorously. "Somewhere over there lays our luck, buried where that fool pirate captain left it."

Ouranös wasn't in the mood, excluded from the Grand Plan as well as everyone else on the ship. "Left what?" He had been looking through his own spyglass moment's before, observing the same land she had been looking at. If his maps served correctly, they were somewhere near one of the small charted continents that explorers had yet to say what it contained. Reassuring to say the least.

Though he couldn't complain about the weather. The perfect kind to be able to see when they were going to get eaten by a large fire breathing snake. He relayed his optimism when he realized where they were going to the captain. There was not a cloud in the sky, a warm sea breeze keeping a constant speed on the ship. The seas could hardly complain either.

"Left what?" he asked again. Irritation edged into his voice.

"What we're looking for," Haruka said vaguely, a grin lighting her face. Before the crew that surrounded her could decide to throw her overboard and vote for a new captain, she continued, eyes half shut slyly. "Ever heard of a star seed?"

"Sort of," answered her first in command. He took a stab in the dark. "A highly rare diamond."

"Indeed," agreed Captain Tenoh. "There are only about ten of them known to exist. They are said to belong to the Gods." The men around her stared for a moment, then their eyes slowly began to widen as it dawned on them. "And what our captain has left, is exactly that. Our dear benefactor had to leave it because you cannot transport one of those during bad weather."

Her blond double looked at her with a raised eyebrow—another strange pirate superstition. "Exactly correct," she answered, reading his cynical look. "There is a curse said to be on them, that to whomever decides to move one of them _anywhere_ during bad weather... disappears."

"Isn't that what generally happens anyway if you're not careful during a storm? Especially on a ship?" Ouranös asked. He watched the looks on the men's faces as they appeared to have second thoughts at the idea stealing a highly rare, highly valuable diamond.

Haruka raised a finger. "True." She lowered it, and began walking towards the helm, the six men around her, following at her heals. "But, we will humor superstition to stay on the safe side." The blonde raised her arms towards the sky. "And who could not say that this is the perfect weather to go treasure hunting?" she asked everyone, while looking back at them over her shoulder.

As they got closer to the wild, untamed coast, most of the crew jumped out to guide the ship towards shallower water, while those that were left on board, lowered the sails, and dropped the anchor when the tip of the ship buried itself in the soft sand. Their captain stepped out from amongst them, her first and second at her side, as they looked for any clues of where the last crew had been. Deeper down the beach, they spotted old footsteps of ten or fifteen moving into the thick greenery, strengthening Haruka's suspicions.

When they found a lone piece of cloth where the flimsy trees began, Haruka turned and split her crew, leaving half at the coast, heavily armed just in case her benefactors decided to return to pick up what they had left behind. Fourteen of the remaining twenty five scouted in the woods, ordered to return by nightfall when the sloop would set sail once more. And eleven were left with her, including the first and second in command to search for the star seed.

As her group moved forward into the thick forest, Haruka began to realize that the fool pirate she had been following wasn't so much of the fool she had originally thought him. He had chosen the perfect place to hide it. Even if the star seed was freshly buried, the brush underfoot hid away any clues of where the newly packed dirt would be. Then again this captain probably didn't suspect that there was anyone following him either, her trusty sloop the perfect ship for stalking prey. Her gut told her that it would be too soon to start looking anyway, the star seed buried somewhere deeper into the depths of the forest.

The small group moved clumsily through the damp, vines making it easy to trip and fall, the mud on the surface slippery when there was a break from the brush and vines. And there weren't that many. Droplets of sunshine dripped through the openings of branches and leaves, small birds flying overhead from branch to branch. Monkeys called to one another through the thickness, lemurs stared at them with wide yellow eyes.

"I don't see why we can't be privateered," began Ouranös. "It'll bring us some security for a while, life insurance if you will."

Haruka shook her head, answering patiently. "For how long? We'd be in the ruler's favor one day, and out the next—and as soon as we set foot anywhere in their territory, we'd promptly arrested and hung. And if we managed to escape, we'd have to start over and look for a new one, taking into account the previous one's enemies. I'm pretty sure they wouldn't be forgetful of the fact that we stole mommy's crown jewels and gave them away for a profit."

"Yeah, and I think being wanted everywhere makes you feel any more safe."

Haruka as well as her two next in command unsheathed their swords, cutting away the vines that webbed away their path. "It actually does. At least I know who my enemies are, at all times. Knowing is a bigger security." She looked down and readjusted her grip on the hilt before slicing a particularly large vine easily in half before walking on. Glancing behind her, she made sure the rest of the group was still in place, the rear armed with pistols cocked and at the ready.

"Plus, if I were to choose who would be bossing me around, I'm not going to offer my services to just any old King or Empress."

"I didn't say to anyone," reasoned Ouranös, lifting his strong shoulders. "There was a Queen in the capital of Sol who was offering a rather large reward to any plunder brought to her pillaged from her enemy country that she's been warring with."

"Exactly. When that war's over, where does that leave us?"

Ouranös didn't have an answer and stayed silent as frustration began to build up in the pit of his stomach. He understood that both cared deeply for the crew, though he liked to think of the present and the monetary safety. His captain just thought of the longevity of the crew, despite the fact that she needed to survive in the present to get to the future. He voiced his opinion out loud ten minutes later. Randy was smart enough to stay out of it, watching the two debate, with a faint smile on his lips. Wouldn't be family if mom and dad weren't arguing about the future of the children.

"That's why I wanted you as my Number One," Haruka replied to his argument. She looked over her shoulder, eyes boring into Ouranös'. "But trust me on this one."

"Anyway," she said, her voice lowering to a whisper as they moved towards a clearing of trees, "That's why we're getting the star seed—someone has hired the crew and me. Someone of a very distinguished rank."

Her double's jaw dropped. "An Emperor? A King? Lord?" With each rank that he put forward, she shook her head impatiently.

"No, no one of the sort."

"But—"

"Shhh!"

They came to a stop at the clearing, the sun finally allowed to shine completely through, the clearing thick with ferns and other plants. It was empty and felt too innocent and quiet. Even if there were no enemy crew, there still could be hidden predictors

"Move around," she ordered. Something began to tingle in her gut, and excitement thrilled in the back of her mind. Haruka forced herself to stay calm. Slowly, the crew skirted around the outside of the clearing, making sure to stay within the shadows, voices silent. Sure enough, as the captain kept her eyes on the open field, she saw the moving dark eyes of a leopard sitting contentedly in wait, hiding in the low green plants. As they continued to move, she relaxed when it finally turned its head away. It had already eaten.

The feeling in her stomach grew stronger as they moved forward into the jungle, and she followed that feeling blindly, the crew following silently behind her. As if catching a hold of a scent trail, she moved, skirting around more vines and tree roots, her crew forgotten momentarily. The group drew closer to a large tree, thick brown vines intertwining around it, braiding an outer shield. Carefully, Haruka moved around its thick trunk, moving the tip of her boot around, as if feeling for the exact burial spot.

The captain pursed her lips to the side as she moved around in circles, using the coarse vine for balance with the arm closest to the tree. The rest of the crew stood a few feet away from the perimeter, watching their insane captain work. Randy and Ouranös stood patiently, arms crossed over their chests, knowing that asking her if she needed help was at the moment useless.

She tripped.

Just when her second in command thought it was from some small root, she kicked the foot around. Her eyes brightened, and she bent over, moving the brush around with her hands. Her crew, with a signal, moved forward, and began to help their captain dig up the stolen treasure.

* * *

Eleven crew and herself made headway back to the sandy coast, just as dusk began to fall. The crew that had been left behind had already made a small fire. As they began cooking the night's meal, Haruka and her men settled on the ground to rest up a bit. The third group returned about a half hour later.

"Show us what it looks like," Proteus said, moving to stand over his captain's shoulder.

Haruka glanced up, barely able to hide the grin from her face. Her hand moved to unhook a small purse from her belt and then emptied its contents. The glow was barely even contained from the thick cloth that covered it. The rest of her crew noticed, and began to gather around her as she held it carefully in the palms of her hands so that everyone could see it.

It was a flower, a lotus to be exact, and slowly, as they all watched in complete awe, it opened. A small diamond, or at least it looked like a diamond, floated up from its center, the color of a glowing tear. Curious, Haruka looked all around her, finding that the light of the seed turned the faces of all her men a bright, luminous blue. Gently, she moved her hands, forcing the petals to close, the tear-shaped diamond moving back into the center. The light slowly faded away, until the camp fire's light took over, shining orange all around them.

"Now," she began, slowly standing up, wiping the sand from her rear end. She began to walk towards the ship. "Shall we set sail?"

When she didn't hear any movement of her men, she glanced over her shoulder. Captain Tenoh couldn't help but to laugh at the dumb looks still pasted on her men's faces. But her role as strong leader had to take over, and soon she was shouting orders to get the sloop off shore and into the cool waters while it was still calm.

"That'll get us enough gold to give us months and months of supplies," chuckled Ouranös.

"Years you mean," corrected Haruka, as they both slowly walked on board. The look on her partner was priceless, and she was almost sad to ruin it. "Only I'm doing it without any payment."

The color drained out of Ouranös' face. He came to a stop, and he felt as if all the blood would drain from his head, and that he would drop dead right on the spot. The woman stopped as well, waiting for him to say something. Or to start screaming incoherently. "Bu—but you said that the person that hired you was of considerable rank—how—how?"

"Could you honestly put a price on something like this?" she asked reasonably. She turned her head sympathetically to the side. "Trust me."

And with that, she continued up the plank and boarded the small ship without another word to him. As Ouranös began to breath again, he watched his captain directing orders, along with Randy, each working like one leader.

"That's the second time you've told me that in one day," he muttered under his breath, before joining his family.

The ship was back out on the ocean just as the stars began to peak out of the skies, the sail glowing white against the darkness around it, save for the bright pearly moon above. Few crew members sat out on empty barrels, finishing up their meals from beat-up tin plates.

Haruka took refuge in her cabin, still holding the star seed carefully with one hand, as if dropping it would shatter it into tiny pieces. It had to be stronger than that if all the myths were true. Making sure that there was no one following right behind her, she waited a moment, before lifting a corner of the rug, and digging her finger nails under one of the worn floorboards. It came easily, and she moved it aside, placing the wrapped-up treasure in the dry, hallowed out area.

Moment's later, she was back outside, closing her eyes against the warm breeze, very pleased at what they had just completed. The air smelled fresh and salty. And somehow, it smelled like nighttime. Ouranös had taken up his shift, shouting orders from the helm, relieving Proteus from his duties. The day's crew stayed out, gambling away what they had left from the last venture under lanterns in the middle of barrels.

"Captain," said a low voice behind her. Haruka turned around to meet Randy's dark face. "I smell a storm coming along."

The Captain raised her eyebrow, confused, and as if in response, another warm breeze ruffled her hair. The large man pulled her gently by the shoulder, pulling her to the safety of the cabin walls, though he still kept his voice low.

"Ye mentioned a curse about the star seed, did you not?" When her eyes, still confused, confirmed what she had said before, he continued. "I thought I should mention it then, sooner, before the winds started to pick up. It will be a strong one, and should settle in by late morning tomorrow. We better tread carefully and keep our speed steady."

Haruka looked around her, and again up at the clear night sky. She sighed heavily, slowly nodding her head, knowing that Randy was no fool. "All right. We'll keep the news quiet for now, and I'll pass it along to Ouranös. We might have to get a few men to get out and row this boat—and I'll be along with them too if that means that it'll get us back to Scorpus in one piece."

Captain Tenoh sighed heavily, hiding her eyes behind the palm of her hand. Hopefully that was the most that they had to worry about. She moved back into her cabin, and began to write late into the night. She had even forgotten to go to the comforts of her own hammock, falling asleep at the desk.

Matters were slowly getting worse—one of her crew up in her crow's nest spotted something glowing against the horizon behind them. Puck pulled out his own spy glass, something going off in the pit of his stomach, he elbowed Cupid who was half asleep next to him. His brother woke with a start and pulled out his own spyglass. Sure enough it was a ship large enough to out gun them three times over.

Nearly tripping over the edges of the nest, Cupid scrambled down the rope ladder, calling attention to the first in command, who currently was still at the helm. Ouranös glanced up, seeing the man in a panic, his suspicions complete. He had also seen the small white dot, which gradually grew bigger and bigger in size. The blond twin passed the message on to Randy, ordering him to wake the captain, even though it was into the wee hours of the night.

Haruka awoke with a start, hearing only the door open. The look on Randy's face was enough to move her into action. She moved to get her coat over her shoulders, glancing out of the large window, seeing the growing white dot gaining on them, and was out on deck before she had the chance to slip her second boot on.

"Report," she commanded, her voice slightly out of breath from the adrenaline running through her. She knelt down in front of her first in command as she finished lacing up the top of her boot.

"It appears that our benefactors want their gift back," said Ouranös said calmly with an eyebrow raised. The look on his face grudgingly asked if the star seed was worth the trouble. Haruka raised to her full height, pointing a finger at him, daring him to argue his case. Fortunately the lithe man kept his lips shut tight on the matter, before joining the rest of the crew in arming the ship.

The battle would take a while to come around. As the night passed, the ship grew larger in size as it gained on the tiny sloop. It didn't help that the wind had died down a bit, and Haruka surmised that the other ship had quite a number of people rowing the large island along. Puck was back in the crow's nest with his brother, still keeping a hawk's eye on the predator. Haruka obsessively watched it as well through her own spyglass.

"Of course it was too easy," she muttered to herself. She licked her lips, realizing that they were dry, and soon she was biting her bottom lip distractedly. How to get out of this one?

Cannons were already in place, though there were only about ten of them, five on each side. She joined Ouranös and Randy who were trading battle tactics over hushed voices, though a few of the crew joined in so their input could be taken into account. Even though the _Iphis_ was outsized and outmatched, it was still the most maneuverable out of all the other ship types. And when it came to it, because the larger ship would slow down to catch its prey, the sloop could gain speed and outrun it.

The lanterns around them had been burnt out, save for the one between her first and second in command. Camouflage would be on their side for the moment—at least until daybreak. She stood over them, listening to them speak as their hands pantomimed what they wanted done with each battle idea. All three of them had surmised that it was a Galley class ship, with at least one hundred and fifty men strong.

"Running for now, would be the best option," Haruka cut in firmly, against the idea of her first, who wanted to stand and fight, damaging the enemy ship as much as possible before running again.

Her crew laid in wait as the night passed farther on, few taking short pauses to see what the time was from their pocket watches. No one slept. Haruka stood at the helm, watching the enemy ship closing the space between the two of them, the wind growing ever more dead. Slowly the moon began to sink below the horizon, the stars spinning above them.

"Give them what they want."

"What?" Haruka snapped out of her reverie. She hadn't even heard Ouranös come up behind her.

"Give the star seed back to them," he said, his voice slow, stressing that the seed wasn't the most important thing at the moment

"No." She turned to look back out over the horizon, watching the ship move behind them. The Captain had indicated that the argument was over, but her blond look-a-like decided to force the issue.

"We are not getting anything in return for this jewel. It is not worth losing the ship, or any of the crew."

Haruka ignored the man, and when he realized that she wasn't going to answer, he turned on his heal without another word, pursing his lips angrily. The blonde woman took a couple of deep breaths, realizing that she hadn't been breathing, preparing to keel-haul her first if that meant getting him to shut up. She was not going to give up the star seed.

* * *

Dawn rose, and the galley was close enough to make out the small details along the outside of the ship. If Haruka wasn't running for her life, she would have admired the craftsmanship that had gone into it. The friezes along the sides of the Galley, as well as the figurehead along the front told her everything that she needed to know about her foe.

The friezes, from what she could tell at that distance, depicted the story of the battle between the Lapiths and the Centaurs. Haruka remembered seeing variations of the myth; the wild centaurs, carrying calm women away. Their faces depicted none of the fear that they should have realistically felt, while the centaurs depicted something wild and tameable on their own. On the other side of the ship, told of a story that Haruka had never heard of, nor could she put it together. Horned demons, and winged humans with swords... She shook her head, eyes aching from the constant squinting.

The figurehead was of the goddess Artemis, painted elaborately like the rest of the ship. She smirked at the arrogance of the captain who owned it, putting the face of a Goddess that had very little domain over the seas. The man also respected logic and cunning above all else as well, from what she took from the story of the Lapiths.

She smirked, folding away her spyglass, and turned away from the scene. "Put up a white flag!" she shouted. "I want a talk with this captain."

Both ships slowly came to a stop mid morning. It took another hour for the large ship to make anchor, the crew above the _Iphis_' head scurrying about as they prepared a meeting for their own captain. Finally the large anchor was lowered into the sea by men who pushed at a large wheel, unwinding more of the thick chain that held the anchor at its end. A thick plank was dropped, marrying the two ships together, a captain standing patiently at each end.

"Welcome," called Haruka, with a smile lighting her face. She took off her ceremonious hat used for just the occasion to bow low to the ground. A man with silvery hair, the galley's captain, watched her with cold, violet eyes. A cruel smile moved across his face, and Haruka told herself to stay calm and collected. "How may we help you?"

The man had his arms folded behind his back as he moved down the plank. "You have something that I want."

Haruka shrugged, playing dumb. "I don't know what that could be. Your ship is quite immense, so whatever I have, you must have four of your own."

"The star seed, sir." He said this bluntly. Haruka was momentarily thankful for her more masculine guise, wondering what he would do if he knew her actual gender. The captain of the large island continued, eyes dead of any emotion, though his cruel smile remained. "My ship can pull yours apart within the seconds after I give the signal, so I suggest that you give me what you have stolen."

"What's your name?" asked Tenoh, completely changing the subject.

"Diamond. But I recommend that you call me Prince Diamond."

"Why don't we sit and have a chat?" grinned Haruka. But she wasn't stupid, knowing damn well that she was playing with fire.

Prince Diamond observed her meager ship with a flourish of the eyes. "How about my ship. I am used to more higher standards."

Haruka did not flinch at the intended insult, though she could almost sense Ouranös and Randy tensing and their hands moving to their own weapons on either side of her. "Sure," she replied, her voice smooth as silk. And with that, she moved forward to cross the plank. She glanced over her shoulder, seeing her men look at her with alarmed faces. "Don't worry," she said, a reassuring, confident look in her deep blue eyes.

When she boarded Prince Diamond's ship, she felt as if she had stepped onto the solid earth. The galley ship was sturdily build, and when she followed its captain into the main cabin—much more immense and luxurious than her own—she found that this man spared no expense on his ship. She had to concentrate hard on keeping her mask of placid calm strongly glued to her face as she looked around her.

His living quarters were richly decorated to the point of being grotesque. Diamond's room lived up to his name sake. The thick rug around the center was a deep prussian blue, decorated with silver moon symbols, and a low table dominated the middle of it. The wood underneath it, as well as the remaining floor was somehow polished a cold white and gray. Decorated with bright tapestries, the walls were in contrast to the general blue, silver, and white hue that the room took. From the ceiling hung a shining chandelier, webbed with hundreds of intertwined diamonds. Its light spidered all over the ceiling.

"Electricity?" asked Haruka in wonderment. Most ship captains had abandoned the idea of electricity for fear of a fire taking a lite and burning their ships down. Though many ships had lanterns instead, it was still much easier to stoke a fire from a small candle, than from a ship alight with electrical fires. It was a too new technology that Haruka didn't want to be one of the first in trying.

As if reading her mind, Prince Diamond answered. "Most captains have some primitive fear: I say they are fools. So I choose to have light from a nearly infinite source. I hope to have the whole craft running through its power. And by then my ship will be the strongest and fastest in the whole sea."

_Let's hope that I have the star seed delivered long before then and that I'm dead_, Haruka thought grimly to herself. She hoped that he was just a madman spouting fantastic ideas that could only come true within his own imagination. She smiled politely at his comment, and moved where his outstretched arm indicated for her to sit.

A few men stepped to place cushions on each side of the polished wood table, before withdrawing and standing by the large door where they had entered. The captain of the _Iphis_ slowly sank down, never once moving her eyes away from Diamond. She could not yet tell if he was crazy or not. Carefully, she placed her tricorner hat on the the floor next to her. Behind her opponent, she noticed a man with crystal blue eyes and dark, raven black hair, who stood by a taller table adorned with maps and globes. Diamond's first in command, she surmised.

Though the room was quite a bit bigger, there were still a few similarities between his quarters and her own. And she found one of them right behind the taller table: a large glass window from floor to ceiling opening up to the ocean. From there, she could see her own ship, so tiny against the size of the galley ship. She tried force back a smile as she imagined Ouranös pacing back and fourth irritatedly as he waited for her to return from doing something so stupid.

And she noticed the thick clouds rolling in just as Randy had predicted.

"I see that you've noticed your ship?" Diamond observed, taking a sip of tea from a small porcelain cup. He slowly put it back down onto the table. "If things go wrong for you, you have the perfect seat of watching it get destroyed."

"And if things go wrong for you?" surmised Haruka calmly.

Diamond spread his hands on the table, still looking at her. "See. They won't. Either way I get what I want, it's just how you want it to end. You give me the star seed and you can move on your merry way..."

Captain Tenoh doubted that one, knowing that he planned on destroying her ship either way: though crazy, he was ruthless at the same time. She decided not to answer, watching him take another few sips of his tea. He offered her some, and she nodded yes. His first in command walked over with a wave of the hand, and poured her some in an identical tea cup, while eying her curiously. The dark haired man was silent, never saying a word, just observing. Haruka was almost more worried about him than with Diamond. He took his place once more by the table in front of the large window, though instead of staying still, he riffled through some of the maps.

"Did you notice the friezes along the sides of my ship?" asked Diamond. He brushed some of his silvery white hair behind an ear.

"Why, yes I did," she replied, sitting back on her cushion. The tea was warm and sweet in her mouth. "I know of one of them, but the one with the demons and winged people I am not so current on."

"It is the story of the fall of Lucifer," he told her. "From a distant religion that I found out about on one of my earlier voyages. Lucifer was one of God's children—"

"Which God," interrupted Haruka. "Zeus, Neptune... Hades?"

Diamond rolled his eyes impatiently. "No. None of them. The God. A God. But if it makes you feel better, you can pretend that this all powerful God is named Zeus." Haruka nodded her head for him to continue. "Lucifer was one of God's most promising children. He was from a race called Angels—remember those humans that you saw with wings? He _was_ one of those. This angel was powerful, and wanted to rule his own land, but God would not allow it, along with the rest of the other Angels."

Haruka slurped loudly at her tea. The main gritted his teeth as if she ran her nails along a chalk board. "Will you please?" he snapped. The captain of the _Iphis_ innocently placed the petite cup back down on the table, and Diamond sighed before continuing. "So there was a war, splitting the race of angels into two factions. Those with God, and those with Lucifer. God took away their wings and their beauty, replacing them instead with horns."

"Ah," encouraged Haruka. She decided at this moment that he was mostly likely very crazy, but she made sure not to slurp her tea this time around.

"They lost the war, of course, though God did give him his own land to rule." The white haired man paused dramatically. "In hell."

"Where?" blurted Haruka.

The man waved his hand. "Kind of like Hades, Tartorus."

"Oh." When the woman captain realized that he was done with his story, she spoke. "So that's what the frieze is about? The war between this God and Lucifer?"

"Exactly," replied the man as if teaching a particularly stupid pupal.

"So you think of yourself like this God, conquering evil," she guessed, deciding to take a stab at the importance of the frieze lining one side of his ship. Haruka found that she was wrong, watching his smile widen, showing pearly white teeth the more it widened.

"No, actually. I find that I relate more to the fallen angel. I, like him, was kicked out of a land when I wanted to strike out and make my mark. The Queen there didn't necessarily understand my needs, both denying me my right to marry her daughter, as well as to live on her lands any longer."

Very, very crazy. "Oh?" mused Haruka slowly. "What land was this?"

"The cloud cities of Lune."

Captain Tenoh nearly dropped the tea cup out of her hands, her face jerking upwards in surprise. "That was a myth. My own mother told me that story every night before I went to bed."

Prince Diamond rested his head on the fist of his hand, suddenly looking bored. "You'd like to think that," he sneered. But he looked as if he was sneering at something else, the Queen of this Lune, rather than Haruka. There was a long silence, as he finished his own small cup of tea, the sound of china clinking in the heavy air. The air grew tense the longer he stayed silent, and Haruka knew that it was time to come up with something that would save her ship _and_ allow her to escape with the star seed.

"So," he said, his voice slow, clear, and correct, "I believe now it is time to make your decision. The star seed, or shall I blow up your ship?"

As the Captain of the _Iphis_ sat carefully still, her fingers, began to go to her hip, where her belt was tied. Few things hung there, like extra shots of gun powder wrapped in paper, round iron bullets, each in their own leather container. And her pistol—always with her, no matter where she went. Time slowed down as the air grew tangibly more tense.

"I choose neither," she said, her face perfectly serious.

Prince Diamond's laughter rang out through the room. "You don't have that kind of choice."

In one quick movement, Haruka had her pistol unsnapped from her belt. Before anyone else could react, she jumped up to her feet, and aimed for the chandelier. She pulled the trigger, gun powder puffing out in a tiny cloud. Electricity shot out from the large light that hung from the high ceiling when the single bullet made contact. Fire exploded, glass shattering to rain over everyone's head, diamonds pouring to the ground. Everyone that was in the room scattered, save for Captain Tenoh and Prince Diamond.

Fire spat downwards, and they began to lick the rug when what was left of the chandelier reached the ground. Haruka made a run for the window, while Diamond was shouting orders. The Captain of the _Iphis_ knew that the chaos would spread as the fires grew. She shot another round, directly into the glass of the large window, and before she charged her way through, she made one last look around, making eye contact with the ship's captain.

"_Cannons! Load the Cannons!_" he screamed, watching her go with wild, mad eyes. "_Tear that __ship apart!_"

Without a moment's hesitation, she flung her arms in front of her face, as she hurled her body into the weakened glass. The sound of glass sang out all around her, and she thought for one fleeting moment that she was flying. She felt the heat behind her back as the cabin blew from so much fire and combustible energy. Tenoh moved her arms out above her head, knifing through the water, as soon as she hit it.

* * *

**AN:**

**Thanks for your reviews** Cookiez, PuffdaDragon, Petiyaka, and Krugern! I like pirates as well and have always wanted to write a story with them as the central characters. A friend of mine actually dared me to write a story with a lesbian pirate captain, and it was so interesting that I had to take her up on it! ^_^ Generally, for the first few chapters there is interaction between the duo in the beginning of each chapter. The story was written with a major overhanging plot, with small stories in the middle so the characters can evolve their relationship, which I hope is very effective. I also wanted to plunk other Sailor Moon characters in as well, so look out for them as well!


	4. Act Two

**Act Two: The Queen of Skulls and Time**

Haruka paused a moment to take in a deep yawn. Michiru blinked, as if snapping out of a dream. The blonde's tale had pulled her in, and she felt as if she had been there, seen all that Haruka had seen. As soon as the blonde woman stopped, only then did Michiru realize all that was going on around her.

The pub was still full, though most of the old people had left only to be replaced by the new. New musicians had taken over, a harmonica and drums echoed from the upper floors. Both of the women's mugs had been left untouched during the majority of the tale. Their candle, which rested at the center of the creaky, old table, was already fading out, drowning in its own clear wax.

"So," began Haruka. "This guy was really insane, so I was kind of hoping that he had died in the blast. But there was some small part of me, deep in the pit of my stomach, that knew that my hopes were not true: He was the type to survive, save for his own hand."

Michiru was very aware that her storyteller was tired, the woman's once strong and clear voice now cracked with exhaustion. She had almost forgotten that her tale had just taken place. Haruka mostly likely had gone straight from her ship to the pub to see her. The blonde just then realized that she had her own mug full of frothy liquid, and took a few longs sips from it.

The aqua haired woman slowly stood up, her legs numb from sitting in one spot for so long. She held out her arm for the pirate captain sitting opposite to her, who in turn, stared up at her in confusion.

"Come, you must be tired," Michiru said gently. "I believe I can get you a discount for a room over night."

Though Haruka's eyes were heavy with sleep, the blues showing under her red rimmed eyes. However, it was hard to miss the glee that lit them up. "And you're coming with me?"

"Of course, how am I going to get the conclusion of this outrageous story?" smirked Michiru. Gently, the bar maiden guided the ship captain farther down the dim hall, easing her up the stairs as if she had broken her leg. Vaguely she wondered when the last time Haruka had had a full night's sleep. She turned to look over her shoulder, just in time to see the blonde woman's face fall to a frown. Michiru couldn't help but to laugh at the befallen look.

"So," she continued, her voice light, "How does this have anything to do with privateering?"

Haruka held one sleepy finger up from her free hand. "Ha-haven't gotten to that yet," she stuttered as she stifled a yawn. Her voice was getting more and more unclear the longer she stood up.

Though on the verge of passing out on the floor as they both slowly made headway, Haruka refused to have herself dragged along by the arm. She took a few hard blinks, yanked her arm away, and moved herself in long dignified steps—Michiru almost felt honored to have her intriguing friend let the mask drop this far. Though as soon as they stopped in front of a door a good distance from the music playing, the bar maiden searched for the correct key, glancing over her shoulder. Haruka looked as bright and energetic as ever, a smug smile in her eye.

Michiru was not fooled.

She wagged her finger at the blonde, as she turned the copper-colored knob. "You're still not getting anything."

Haruka's shoulders sagged about a hair, but then she shrugged before following the woman in. The room was meager, only for sleeping in: a small bed, a wash table at the other end, a chair, and a small window overlooking one of Elysia's streets. Michiru sat at the edge of the bed, and patted it, inviting Haruka.

The blonde shook her head. "I'm _not _laying down." She spread her hands. "I'll fall right to sleep, and you won't hear the end of my story."

"I can always wait until tomorrow," suggested the aqua haired woman softly.

Instead, Haruka flopped in the chair, the chair complaining with a loud squeal. She crossed her arms over her chest, and raised an eyebrow at her. Michiru was suddenly reminded of a child that threw tantrums, insisting that he wasn't tired during bed time. Instead, as soon as his head hit the pillow, he was out like a light. Though the aqua haired woman predicted that it would be much harder to get a full grown woman to sleep, she sighed and gave up. _Captain Tenoh_ could just tire herself out.

* * *

Ouranös saw the action from the _Iphis_, knowing damn well that his captain had something to do with the explosion that blossomed from the enemy ship. "That must be the signal to leave," he muttered grimly under his breath. Then, much more loudly, he shouted, "Raise the sails! Prepare to run!"

"What of our captain?" Randy asked at his side.

The tall blond shrugged his shoulders. "She said that she would give a signal of when it would be time to leave—and that I would know exactly what it was," he said helplessly. "And that's a pretty big signal."

"Do not worry Randy," Proteus said, clamping a hand on the man's shoulder. "Our Captain Tenoh has a strange way of getting out of things."

As the ship began to jerk from the anchor, men desperately began to cut at it in a wild panic to escape from the larger ship. Thunder began to crack, lightening flashing from somewhere in the distance as the late morning storm began to roll in. The clouds became thick and heavy, and Ouranös began to worry about fighting a two front battle. He watched as the rope was finally cut loose, and the ship began to pull steadily away from the burning island, and towards the storm. Cannons began firing wildly from the deck of the galley, though missing the _Iphis_ completely. Its crew appeared to be scattered and bewildered from the explosion.

Haruka from down below, treaded through the restless blue waters, trying to put as much distance between her and Prince Diamond. Air fluttered out in bubbles from her nose as she rushed away, her lungs beginning to beg for oxygen. She heard faint pounding in her ears every so often, guessing that it was coming from the galley ship as the fires continued.

The Captain Tenoh rose up, breaking through the surface as she gasped for air. Rain began to fall, her ship dragging ahead of her. With another deep breath she dove into the water once more and raced for the ship that was leaving her behind. Her lithe body tredded alongside the bottom of her ship, a rope dragging out from it. Without wondering why it was there, she instead moved to get to it, and pull herself up.

_Yes! _Fingers touched the dangling rope, and she moved upwards grasping the rope in the fists of her hands. Exhausted, she forced her way upwards, breaking through the water, just as it began to rain. For a few moments she hung there, catching her breath, as the ship gained speed. The woman saw the crew moving about from the side of the railing, rushing about as they made preparations for the storm ahead.

"Hey!" she shouted. "Hey!"

After a few seconds, she saw Ouranös' head pop out from over the railing. A smile broke across his face. "Captain! Fancy seeing you here!" Lightening lit up his face into hues of electric blue, and milliseconds later thunder lashed out behind him. She would have smiled back at him, had it not been for the warning signs lighting up in the back of her mind.

With a few heaves, her crew pulled her bedraggled body over the side of the ship, and she landed on deck with a hard thud. After a brief pause, a flurry of colorful curses poured from her mouth as the pain registered. She jumped up onto her feet. Ouranös gave her the report, including the lost anchor and the fact that it was already raining. Haruka wanted to smack him in the face for again being so obvious, knowing it was one small way that he could enjoy his time in making her angry.

Randy gave her a mug of something warm, tasting sweet. She'd learn long ago to never ask him what was in it. As she downed the thick golden liquid, she moved into her quarters to riffle around for some dry clothing—even though it was starting to rain. With a second thought, the captain of the _Iphis_ closed the door, and lit one of the lanterns. Moment's later she sighed with relief, and continued with her first plan, seeing that the safe star seed with her own eyes.

When the blonde was in fresh, dry clothes, she toweled off her hair, standing in front of her large window. Her legs were spread, feet planted as the ship began to roll along with the waves. Outside the wind blew the rain sideways, and it grew darker and darker with each passing moment. Randy knocked on the door, using his three heavy raps, snapping her out of a reverie. She blinked.

"Come in."

The large man moved into her quarters, his shoulder's heavy and eyes knit with worry. She turned away, not wanting to see that their danger was in fact real. Ouranös moved in from behind him, closing the door behind, the sound of men shouting and working momentarily muted.

Ouranös started first. "This storm is going to be huge." He spread up his hands defensively before the blonde woman could speak. Instead, she leaned her weight against the heavy oak desk, waiting for him to continue. "Our ship can normally take heavy storms given its size, but this one might put it to the test."

Haruka waited for Randy to start speaking, knowing that there was something personal that he wanted to say. "That curse that ye mentioned earlier—would ye be planning on throwing the diamond over board—"

"No," Haruka answered, her voice hard.

"It's cursed."

Her blond look-a-like raised a hand, silencing the man, and stepped forward in front of him. "Getting rid of the jewel might put all of the crew at ease, despite the size the storm already is. They won't have anything to blame but to nature itself—"

"Neptune himself," corrected the larger man from behind his back.

"Right." Ouranös rolled his eyes before continuing. "Plus, I'm betting that as soon as that ship is fixed, that Diamond has his eyes fixed on us and plans on coming to destroy us."

"Not if we make landfall before he does," pointed out Haruka, crossing one leg over the other.

"But if the storm—" began Randy.

"How long do we have?" asked the captain.

"Had it not been for the storm, we would have made landfall on Scorpus before nightfall. According to the maps. None of us has ever been there, but you and a few of the original crew." Haruka couldn't help but feel that the tone in his voice was slightly accusatory. Her first in command never liked being kept in the dark, but she kept her mouth shut, knowing that he would see for himself in good time. The charity case, as he put it since there was no reward, must live on that island, and out of anger and annoyance Haruka didn't confirm or deny his suspicions.

After his brief pause, hoping for some input from his captain, Ouranös irritatedly continued. "That was if there was no storm. Now with the weather not being according to plan, who knows?"

"Keep our course steady," she said finally. Haruka tipped her finger when they both looked like they were going to argue. "We are keeping the star seed, and as long as we put as much space between us and Diamond during the storm, we should be fine. Plus, galley ships tend to not handle bad weather as well, so he will be preoccupied for the mean time." She paused, raising her eyes to look at them both. "Dismissed."

Both men turned on their heals, grumbling for different reasons: her blond twin for her being foolish, and Randy about curses on the ship from a stupid treasure not worth keeping. Either way, they both hated the thing. She pursed her lips, even as the ship rocked from a wild wave, throwing her men into the doorway as if agreeing with their side of the argument. Neither closed the door, and the harsh sounds of pouring rain drummed in her ears, louder than the sound of her own men. Water leaked in, absorbing into the red carpet already even when Haruka moved to close the door.

She moved outside, locking the cabin door behind her, and joined her men as they all struggled to keep the ship steady and on course. Stretching out in all directions from the ship was the ocean, dark gray waters, and steel-colored clouds above them. Waves lunged themselves aboard, washing away scraps of rope and barrels full of what was left of their supplies. Their cannons skittered back and fourth in their chains, and the sail whipped around as crew tried to move it out of harm's way. The waves grew the longer the storm lasted, tossing the ship one way and then another.

The waves tossed them farther and farther into the storm, rain turning the deck white because it fell so fast.

"Do they even know?" shouted Ouranös at the top of his lungs, even though he was still barely heard over the storm. Haruka gripped the wheel at the helm, her clothes whipping out all around her. She at first refused to answer, trying her best to focus fully on guiding the ship through violent waves. "Do. They. Know?" he shouted again, this time more slowly as he phrased each word clearly.

When she looked over at him, her eyes were cold, slowing time around them. Ouranös' senses dimmed, save for that look in her eyes, the sound of the struggling crew around him, the rain, almost completely silenced. He didn't realize that his mouth had dropped. _Say it again_, her look dared him.

And suddenly she went flying into the railing to her right. The blond man had barely blinked before her body slammed into the fragile wood, threatening to lose her at sea. A wave had hit the ship like a wall, and Ouranös clung to the helm as everyone was swung in the same direction.

Haruka struggled for balance as she wondered for a split second which way was up. All that her eyes could see was gray-and-white water hurling over her. She could feel the railing pressing hard against her abdomen, and the cold water seeping through her clothes. The jacket around her shoulders weighed her down, and savagely she struggled out of them. Her men shouted all around her, and she fought even harder to get back up so that she could shout commands to gain back order, despite the chaos of the storm.

Thankfully, she could hear Ouranös' normally deep, calm voice, screaming shrilly above all the racket. Randy shouted them twice over, voice booming. Waves continued to rock them in one direction, and she found herself praying to Neptune that it wouldn't flip the tiny sloop, as she tried to switch into a better position. Water continued to pound her, and her muscles began to ache from the effort of just trying to stay on board.

A strong hand grabbed for her, and it took her a moment to register that it was even there. She clasped for it, feeling the strength illuminating from those fingers. It was Ouranös, she realized, trying to yank her back up.

Another wave slammed right into the weakened ship, throwing them off balance. Even though she was falling again, she looked around the deck, seeing thick rope and chains being flung around by the wind and rain, her men being thrown around like mere rag dolls Waves of water sloshed on board, foaming with salt as they washed along the damp wood. Lanterns were torn straight off of their poles, shattering to the ground, or being thrown into the hungry sea.

Haruka grunted as the wind was knocked out of her. Her body had hit the railing again, this time on her side. A sharp pain shot through her hip, and she could hear a cracking—the wood, she thought deliriously. She could no longer hear Ouranös nor Randy, just the water and the howling wind.

With one last hit, the ship rocked to its side, and the railing finally gave way. Haruka felt herself falling, and her arms reached out. _Yes!_ Her hand grasped another piece which was firmly attached to the ship. She tried to lift herself as she used the railing like the rungs of a ladder. The ship soared against its side, and she saw few of her men hurtling to the ocean down below.

_Maybe it _is_ the star seed_, she thought dumbly. Instead of thinking further on that thought, she began to swing herself back and forth, so that she could flip her weight back onto the ship. The captain of the _Iphis_ suddenly felt a shadow right behind her, and dreading it, she swung her legs through the rungs of the railing—and braced herself.

The blonde woman screamed, as water slammed into her back, and her voice quickly became strangled as her throat began to swallow part of the salty wave. Gravity changed itself once more, and she found that she was upright, head popping over the edge of the railing. Already exhausted, she shakily climbed over the edges, and hurled herself back on deck.

As she lay on her back, she watched the remainder of the crew struggle to keep on working. Upside down, she saw that Randy was now at the helm. Haruka rolled herself over, and began to work her way up to standing. She stumbled and tittered on her feet as the ship continued to fight against the storm, but she forced herself to walk, despite what her body demanded otherwise. Randy spotted the captain, eyes widening.

"Throw it overboard!" he screamed over the bombardment of water. "It will be the end of us all!"

"NO!" Haruka screamed back.

She moved him aside, taking over the helm, trying to count how many crew she had left, but found that everything was moving around so fast around her, that she couldn't keep up. Few of the crew had been knocked unconscious, and a few more struggled to keep them aboard. Fleetingly, while she guided the rebellious ship, she thought she saw Ouranös still aboard, his lithe figure darting this way and that on the main deck.

Suddenly he fell, something pelting directly into his head, and he was out. She began to shout for him, but more of the crew grabbed at him, before he was thrown off.

She shouted until her voice was sore, gaining order back over the ship as she continued driving the ship. Slowly, as she continued her work, she realized that her head was slowly becoming light and heavy The storm eventually calmed, though the captain still continued to move—she wasn't going to rest until everything was in order. Proteus soon reported that the sail had been torn, but that she should still fly right and give them some speed. Two men had been lost, and ten injured, including her first in command. The man saluted before going back to take account of more of their losses. She dumbly acknowledged him, before turning her head to look out at sea.

* * *

Captain Tenoh, moved below decks, finding warm light watching over her. She still wore the same clothing that she had worn during the storm, finding that everything in her quarters had been water logged anyway. Papers and books littered the floor, and the rug would have to be thrown out, if not washed thoroughly and dried for at least a week. Though the second floor was known for being leaky, it was still far more drier than it was in either the top deck or her quarters. All ten of the injured had been taken below, temporarily bandaged up.

She knew that land was not far away, despite the storm, so the injured would be able to get what they needed. Few had broken their legs, and had bruises here and there. Nothing major to her relief. The captain found her first in a hammock, snarling crankily at a man who tried to bandage his head. Haruka couldn't help but to snigger to herself at the large purple-green-and-blue goose egg he had growing on the side of his head. Blood still dribbled down from a wound somewhere in his scalp. Despite the look, he didn't appear to have a concussion mainly because his growling seemed intelligible enough.

Ouranös noticed his captain moment's later, and fell immediately silent. The crew member who was trying to bandage his head, Triton, or whatever his name was, took advantage of the man's momentary stillness. Haruka waited until the young crew member was out of the way before stepping forward.

"Got a bump on the head, I heard," the captain said, never breaking eye contacted with the ship's second captain.

"You know the funny thing about this whole incident?" the blond man asked, squinting his eyes at her. "We were chased by a crazy madman—at least according to you because I never got to talk to him alone—and then went through a storm that we could have avoided perfectly if we went straight to Elysia. Or—" he raised a finger to accentuate his sarcasm, "We could have gone somewhere else and even robbed someone for their loot and crew and made more of a profit. And even gone through less trouble than what we went through for the star seed."

Throughout his whole rant, he kept his voice low. Disrespecting a captain in front of the crew was in bad form, as well as the fact that Ouranös knew how important it was to have a strong captain—at least in appearance. That much Haruka respected. So her first in command kept his voice _very _low. The sea captain wearily told herself that at least he felt comfortable enough to tell her what he worried about: it was never good to have your crew fear you. Never would get anything done.

"I'm never going to talk to you again. And do you know why? You never listen to reason." With that he turned away from from his captain and stared at the wall. The blonde woman waited patiently, arms crossed over her chest.

"It _is_ pretty," she said quietly.

Ouranös rolled his eyes, but still did not look at her. At first he stayed silent, but he was always the man who had to say something. "Yes it is."

"That's a good man," grinned Haruka, before smacking him hard on the shoulder blade. Her first in command could have sworn his jaw bones nearly popped out of his mouth. "We'll make landfall in the morning."

And with that, she was gone.

* * *

The sun rose, the seas calm as Puck sat easily in his crow's nest. It was warm, though the humidity was low because of the storm the day previous. The breeze around him was calm and steady, and the sail whipped softly against his ear. After taking a peak through his spyglass, he saw islands stretching out before them. Cupid gave a gleeful shout to the crew down below milliseconds later.

The second in command waved in acknowledgment, before relieving Randy of his duties at the helm. Ouranös' head was still bandaged, though the swelling had gone down. Stubbornly, he forced his way up to the main deck and took command in the earlier hours of the morning. His head still pounded dully, but he was not the type to stand still for long, even with a small knock on the head.

Minor repairs of the ship took place all around him, hammers driving nails into the ship pounding at regular rhythm The rest scrounged around for any scraps of food that survived the storm, stirring it all together into some unrecognizable mush. Though it tasted bland, it was still hot, and it gave everyone the energy they needed at least until they made landfall. And it wouldn't be long.

The sea captain's door was opened slightly, almost welcomingly, allowing fresh air into the cabin throughout the night while Haruka slept soundly. When she awoke in her hammock and began to dress, she found that she had quite a large bruise on the side of her hip, already turning a dark purple.. As if making itself known, she had to favor her other leg because that side of her hip was so sore.

She moved out just as the sky began to take on a bright blue when she looked straight up, though the horizon was still a purple and fiery red. The captain breathed in the air, feeling as if the seas had been reborn from yesterday's storm, the sky cloudless and the waters calm. Grabbing a bowl of the questionable mush, she began eating it absently as she gazed out in the direction of the growing islands. Her body could barely conceal the excitement and nervousness that coursed through her, though her face remained straight, and still, hiding any of those emotions.

As they got closer, the islands grew in size, and the ship found that the coastline was not smooth but full of jagged cliffs. With the help of the captain, the crew carefully guided her around, to where she knew a safe place to land. From over the edges of the cliffs hung orange and green grass, vines braiding their way downwards. It was the only friendly sight, at least from their angle, that Ouranös could find. Scorpus appeared to be well protected.

The ship soon began to sail between two islands, and the _Iphis_ was grated by long dark red banners hanging from the edges of the cliffs as they passed. Neither Randy nor Ouranös could read the curling black characters sewn carefully into them. They both looked over at Haruka for an answer.

"It just says things like 'greetings from the queen of this tribe' and 'warning to those who bring violent intentions.' Stuff like that—nothing we have to worry about."

"So who is this 'queen of the tribe' that you've just now mentioned?" asked the tall lithe man who barely concealed his cynicism He raised an eyebrow. "Is she the one that you got the star seed for?"

Haruka stepped forward. "I don't like your tone of voice."

Ouranös kept his ground. "I'm sorry, but I find it rather foolish to be doing the errands of some small barbarian queen."

Haruka wagged a finger at her first in command. "Oh no, she's no barbarian." The woman chuckled almost sinisterly. "Not at all. The people around these lands say that she knows of where the Gateway to Hades is, and can cross the lines between life and death as easily as we cross the lines between land and water. Time is of no consequence to her either."

"Really?" the blond man said flatly. He could almost see Randy's jaw drop in amazement and fear just behind him. "That sounds like just a myth to me."

Haruka shrugged. "Myth or not, she's a very powerful and influential woman in these parts, so I wouldn't disrespect her in any way that would make her people angry." She leaned over and whispered to her first in command, "She might cut of your head and shrink it, before piercing it through a pike for everyone to see." Both people heard Randy gasp from behind them, and Haruka could help but to snigger at the reaction.

The head three of the crew were silent again as the ship moved deeper and deeper between the two islands. Water fell from the high cliffs at random intervals, the breeze constant because of the wind tunnel that the islands created. Soon, the island on the left began to lower, and Haruka knew that their stop would be coming up soon. Ouranös brought out his spyglass, and began to try and catch a glimpse of the land that they would be landing against.

The anchor had been lost since before the storm, so the had to pull the sloop, literally onto the land so that it would not float away. As they got closer to the drop, crew began to jump off ship, holding thick rope or chains with their teeth or hands. The lithe second in command would have his chance to finally see the foreign land.

Slowly the drop in the land came closer and closer, the ship slowing as it relied on just sheer man power. The ship jerked at random intervals, as Randy counted the seconds everyone would heave. Red-orange sand covered the drop, and after about twenty feet, the green and orange grass began to grow, popping out against the light blue of the sky. Ouranös listened intently for any of the natives moving about their lives, but the air was silent.

With in the half hour that passed, the ship finally ran into the land, and men fell to their knees, as the blond man stepped onto shore. Haruka followed behind him, her face unreadable as they moved towards the grass. They, along with a small group of men sent to follow along with their ship heads, climbed up the sandy and grassy hill. The rest of the crew were left to rest and watch the ship, Randy staying gladly behind.

Ouranös jumped back, hand suddenly on his hip where his pistol was holstered. As if out of nowhere, there were people at the top. Even though it was a hill, they all should have been able to see them waiting there. Haruka stepped forward calmly and without surprise: she seemed to be well used to it. Their clothing was mostly earth toned: greens, reds, oranges, blacks and tans. Surprisingly enough, they didn't at all appear primitive, nor barbaric as he had imagined them—just alien and completely different from what he was used to seeing.

They wore robes, wrapped around the middle by thick belts, and given the weather, their feet were bare. Their skin tones were different shades, though their eyes were all a bright, eerie crimson that put Ouranös ill at ease.

When they spoke, he couldn't understand them, but his captain stepped forward with a hand outstretched. She seemed to know exactly what was going on. When she was done speaking to them for the moment, she returned to her first in command, whispering lightly in his ear. "These are members of the electorate sent by the tribe queen as a greeting." She chuckled before adding, "And they are slightly irritated at the fact that we're late."

"There was a storm," he found himself grumbling "Do they know that?"

"They know," she replied simply. "But such matters shouldn't matter with things as important as the star seed." She gave a slight whistle, then patted him on his shoulder blades, as she remembered something else. "And these members are called Wraiths, at least as far as the Electorate go." She shook her head. "I think. I'm still getting used to their society: it's very intricate."

She didn't seem to notice the look on her first from the term _Wraith_, and she continued with a shrug. "But then again, ours seems to be as well to a stranger's eye."

Haruka moved forward to follow the Wraiths deeper into the island, already spotting the city up ahead. The capital city of Scorpus was a major sea port, though it was kept some distance away from the drop because of enemy accessibility Though war rarely happened, the citizens weren't stupid.

The land itself was flat, save for large dunes that were pushed around by the occasional wind storm, grass growing even through the soft, fine sand. The group walked along a path, used for perhaps centuries, worn from constant travel. Other than the path that they followed, the orange and green grass grew rampant. Occasionally a spindly tree grew, or a stubborn, lush green plant. Unlike the rest of her group, Haruka knew that streams and rivers flowed from the center of the city—another advantage to where the people had placed it. Following the rivers and streams, would lead one to some of the falls that poured back into the ocean.

"_Will I be seeing your Queen immediately?_" asked Haruka. The Wraiths looked over their shoulders before answering.

"_The Queen knows of your arrival, and is waiting for you in her rooms_," acknowledged one of them, then glanced at Ouranös. "_It has been a while and she wishes to speak to you privately. Do you have what our Great One has asked for?_"

How could she forget? Deep within one of her jacket pockets pulsed the star seed, content and warm as it bounced softly against her before her crew pulled the _Iphis_ onto Scorpus' coast, she lifted the floorboard and slipped it in before going back out to join them.

As they got closer to the city, everyone from the ship could see what the city looked like up close. The tallest spindly building rose about seventy feet off of the ground—quite a feat. They looked like they were made of a bamboo-like wood, flexible and strong. In the small country, Ouranös assumed that they must have imported it from one of the other islands.

Silks and other types of cloth moved with the wind as they fluttered outwards from the buildings. More of the lush green plants dotted the place, giving a tropical feel, even though the island felt more like a saharan desert. He could hear water as well coming from somewhere, and as they moved into the city, he found that water did indeed flow _through_ the city. The earthy colors were still used in the exterior decorations, though Ouranös did spot some purples and other shades of reds here and there. He also found that the path turned from orange dirt, to smooth cream-colored stones.

But, he could not help but notice the skull-shaped symbols that decorated the place, either painted occasionally on the wood, or sewn into some of the banners.

The natives of the city moved about their daily lives, and none of them seemed to notice the small procession that moved passed them in outlandish clothing. Ouranös also noticed that the rest of the natives had normal colored eyes, unlike the Wraiths that they followed.

"Our people did once know of each other," said Haruka as they continued to walk. "But of course neither got along very well, one trying to conquer the other, until, at least with Scorpus, pulled away, closing their gates for decades." She glanced over her shoulder. "Or maybe centuries, because you certainly don't remember our lands trying to conquer these islands?"

The blond man shook his head: no he didn't know about this long ago history.

They finally came to the center of the city, and the people that moved about it wore more elaborate clothing than the normal citizens. Their voices sounded alien to the small group, the language sounding like just sounds tinkling together as they passed. When they all entered the building, Ouranös found that he was standing on bigger cream colored stones, smoothed and polished. Above him the ceiling was domed, though because of the material, voices were more muted, absorbed by the wood material.

The Wraiths moved down a large hall, the poles holding up archways which looked out over the main streets outside. Silks floated, hanging from the arches, now a deep red or purple, the same skull symbol stitched in them with white. The second in command tried to keep himself calm because his captain seemed more excited than scared, nearly bouncing on her toes rather than walking.

He found that they came to the back of the building, the doors already opened up for them. There was some sort of discussion between Haruka and the Wraiths, and with a wave of the hand the rest of the crew nervously stayed behind, while Haruka invited Ouranös to follow along with her.

The man's jaw dropped.

The room was plain enough, the earthy tones still remaining, despite a purple banner handing here and there from the rafters. But it wasn't the room's appearance: it was the person in it. Sitting on the floor, was a woman with thick dark green hair. She looked down at a board, some kind of game, the blond assumed, with ruby-colored eyes. When she looked up, her power and charisma emanated, and her eyes felt almost as if they stared through him, even though they weren't focused directly on him.

After all the trouble they went through, the chase, the loss of the anchor, the storm, as well as the rest of the damage on the ship, he suddenly felt as if it was worth it. He knelt on the floor, bowing his head, until his forehead nearly touched the floor. Haruka bowed, though not nearly as dramatically. Setsuna merely nodded her head, though she didn't keep a smile from her lips.

"_I have it_," Haruka said. The tribal Queen turned her head to the side, her eyes curious. Haruka's own lips widened to a grin: she couldn't help it, feeling intense pride, as she moved to her jacket pocket. Slowly, carefully, she brought the star seed out of it, and her fingers moved to unfold the cloth around it.

Its light began to grow brighter as the cloth was moved out of its place. Setsuna watched her, forgetting to hold her own hand out so that she could take it away from the sea captain. But when Haruka held it still in the air for moment's more, only then did the Queen remember to reach out and take it from her.

The dark green haired woman looked up, noticing Ouranös who was still kneeling on the ground, though he watched the two woman silently. He slowly nodded his head in a slight bow, acknowledging the woman.

"I don't know," she said in perfect English, "If your captain has told you this, but these star seeds are said to be the souls of the Gods. Other places say they belong to great warriors who protect the lands. But nonetheless, they are souls that belong to great people."

Ouranös took a guess at where she was going. "So this one belongs to you?"

The woman smiled kindly, shaking her head. "No. Mine is already placed. But I am keeping this one for a friend." Setsuna paused for a moment, turning her head to the side, though her crimson eyes still gazed at him. "There are many versions of me, they are all over this world, hiding in different times: time is meaningless to me. But there are only two places that I manage to call home, so that is where my own star seed is split:

"My home here in Scorpus, and where I guard the gates of Hades, where time also does not exist. Unfortunately, I cannot move from either post, so," she nodded towards Haruka, "I require the kindness of other strong warriors to help me complete what is needed to be done."

The blond man stood up to his full height, feeling that it was not disrespectful in doing so. He didn't say anything, even though he stood there even more confused than when he first entered. He also didn't know if he believed everything that she was saying, some of it so fantastic.

"Haruka's soul is so strong and at the same time kind, that I had wished to take her as a consort—" Ouranös felt his captain stiffen, and looked over to see what her face looked like. He nearly began laughing when he saw for the first time an embarrassed look on the blonde woman's face. Her cheeks actually began to tinge pink! Setsuna smiled, and continued as if she didn't notice her privateer's reaction. "But she said that her soul has already been taken."

The Queen observed the lithe blonde carefully. "I would like to see this woman," she said with a touch of curiosity in her voice.

Ouranös had to stop himself from agreeing with the woman, as he hadn't seen anyone that perked up the sea captain's interest. Somehow she managed to keep some of her life private, even on board so small of a ship. He took a step back from the two women, parting himself away as they discussed other business, knowing that it was between the two leaders.

"Now, there is yet another thing that I need you to do for me," began the woman, "See, there is a mechanical doll, but not just any doll..."

Their voices faded off into echoes, as Ouranös continued to look around him. Setsuna soon began to fade off into her own language more by accident than on purpose. Even though Haruka was never good at telling him everything, the blond man knew that he would eventually find out, even at the worst moment.

The blond man soon realized why Haruka had taken such a liking to this small tribal Queen as she watched the two of them interact.

He thought contentedly to himself, that he thought it would be a nice place for a vacation—at least until they reached Elysia. He found that minutes later, the Queen of Scorpus was actually more than happy to let them stay as long as they needed to refuel. With a wave of her hand, orders were sent to make repairs on the poor beaten sloop that still was at the drop. Cool drinks were brought out, and finally Haruka and her first in command were seated on calm, solid ground.

* * *

**AN:**

**Thanks for all your reviews **James Birdsong, KaE, and again Cookiez and Petiyaka! Were was the miss spelling? I'll change it as soon as I can find it! ^_^ I wish you luck with your story KaE- your idea might be different from mine actually, mine's still just at the beginning and could go differently from how you imagined yours!


	5. Act Three

**Act Three: How The Ocean and Sky Came To Be**

Morning came, and the sun rose, filtering right into the small hotel room. Haruka shifted her weight, moving into a more comfortable position around the figure she shared the bed with. Confused at the thought, she opened her eyes, finding Michiru's blue head right below her own as the bar maiden slept soundly.

For a few minutes more, she stayed there, enjoying the warmth and closeness of the young woman. Haruka found that she had to tell herself to relax, slowly folding around the woman's sleeping figure. Her body was soft, curvacious... Trusting. She shifted, feeling as if she was violating Michiru, carefully untangling her own body before trying to ease herself out of bed.

Because of her morning surprise, she felt strangely well rested, even after the long journey. Even when she slept with mere strangers, she always had managed to sleep better than in her own lone hammock—she couldn't help but to feel pleased that it was with someone she was at least getting to know.

She poured the cool, clean water from the heavy porcelain jug into a wide bowl made of the same material. Without even rolling up her sleeves, she washed the water right over her face, sending shocks of cold into her brain. With a clean towel, she wiped her face dry and moved the wooden chair to the front of the window, while she considered what to do.

The life of the city had calmed considerably, but a new wave of people filtered through as they arose to do the morning chores, and open shop. Elysia began to take on a different face as the dawn rose, even the colors changed with the time.

Haruka couldn't help but to look back over at Michiru's sleeping figure. She turned her head to the side, deciding that she had made a good gamble—Haruka felt strangely drawn to the bar maiden, even within the first moment of meeting each other. Setsuna's offer would still be turned down, even though their own relationship continued to strengthen. The sea captain felt great pride and respect for the dark and mysterious woman: her world was different and she ruled without being a puppet to anyone around her. More freedoms than Haruka nor Michiru could ever imagine.

Even when the sea captain was a child, she could feel the pressures and obligations that she had to fill because of who she was. Or at least by just her gender alone. The blonde couldn't help but to smirk at fading memories of her past life, knowing that she still carried it like a burden: she never had told anyone either, as if it would make them less real.

* * *

Haruka had been brought up in an aristocratic family: that was how she was able to afford to get away. The stubborn girl bargained with her father for short hair, while she in turn wore the corsets and the wide, elaborate dresses during their almost nightly parties. Her mother was either more accepting than her father, or was able to deny what her daughter was: Haruka was never able to properly figure out which.

For years since, as she was beginning to turn into a full woman, she saved her small allowances that her father gave her, as she bided her time. Even though the pre-captain loved her parents dearly, it was almost violating to see a person in the mirror that didn't look at all like her. But because she was taught etiquette so well, such as keeping her voice down, it took all of that training to keep herself from screaming uncontrollably at each morning, as her real self fought to get through the outer shell.

But as her funds grew, she knew that her time was running out. Even when her mother and father began to invite young men, just her age, to their parties, Haruka found that she was terrified of leaving. What might be out there, seemed in some aspects, far more terrifying.

Sir Wreade... She remembered the too name clearly. The man claimed that he was a lord some miles off, and was actually a few years to her senior. Though her parents were thrilled, along with the rest of their neighbors, Haruka could see right through the dramatic and theatrical disguise. As he told his tales of grandeur, she peaked under the large table every so often to see the man pick pocketing some of their best silver. The butter knife pushed into his leather boot, the spoon and fork in the pocket of his silk jacket...

They made eye contact while he passed a salt shaker into his coin purse, he laughed in response to what her father was saying. His eyes were hazel, flecks of green shining coyly in them as he stared back at her. Haruka jerked back into her chair, as if she'd been shocked, more laughter tinkling out around them. She excused herself, and moved quickly up the curling staircase, confused at herself. _Sir Wreade_ came up minutes later, joining her in the quiet and empty hall—Haruka remembered that conversation word for word.

"I told your father that you had excused yourself because I intimidated you, and I told him that I would come up here to apologize." Clearly the man had not. "He said that might be a good thing for a husband, a joke that had some truth in it."

"I'm not intimidated by you," was the first thing that came out of Haruka's mouth as she stood her ground. She narrowed her deep blue eyes. "Just confused by you."

The man took a couple of steps forward, closing the already small space between them. Haruka suddenly felt hot and found that she was having trouble breathing. It took everything in her power to keep her face straight. The man's voice lowered to a whisper, though his voice suddenly moved a few octaves higher as his face moved closer and closer to hers.

"My full name, young miss, is_ Anne_ Wreade. I am known as Titania over the seas with a ship called the _The Nereid_. Do not worry: you are not the only one wearing a disguise."

Haruka jerked her head back so that she could look at the woman's hazel eyes once more. "You're a pirate?" she questioned, her voice lowered as well. Suddenly, all the pickpocketing made sense.

"A pirate captain," Titania corrected, closing the space between their lips. Haruka heard a moan escaping from her own throat as she was kissed: finally really touched in the way that she wanted to be by another woman. She found that her heart had stopped in her chest, as she forgot to breath from the kiss—as if she was being reborn. Haruka knew that was a delirious thought.

Titania continued to kiss her, pressing their bodies against the wall. Even though Haruka's dress was thick with lace and silk, she could still feel the woman's full body against her. Immediately the young woman craved more, kissing the older woman with more force. Titania calmed her down, placing her hands on her shoulders. "Gentle," she murmured.

"Haruka!"

The blonde's father called out from the bottom of the stairs. His footsteps could be heard as he made his way up. Haruka paled, not knowing what to do, though Anne was more quick on her feet—knees. The brunette woman dropped on all fours, and without another thought, moved under Haruka's thick and layered dress. The blonde gasped in surprise, but didn't say anything because she saw her father's figure moving to the top of the staircase. His own blue eyes spotted her standing alone against the wall.

"I had wondered where you went, child," he said. "Do you know that it's rude to leave company like that?"

The woman under her skirt kept Haruka wholly distracted. Her strong hands, forced her ankles apart, and at first Haruka tried to stand firm, but risked losing her balance. She repositioned her weight, her heart thudding in her chest.

"I just needed some air," she said it what she hoped was her strongest voice. She cleared her throat.

She lost his voice as it fluttered to a mere whisper in the back of her brain, while the rest of her mind raced. All that she could remember him saying was something to do with family honor, selfishness to it if one always did what they wanted—things that normally would have caused an argument between the two. Haruka only appeared to listen, her mouth slightly opened. When she realized it was opened, she immediately closed it, and nodded her head for her father to continue—so he could finish what he had to say faster, and leave.

Titania moved her undergarments expertly aside, stroking her thighs gently, warm hands moving like silk over Haruka's skin. The blonde could feel her breathing softly against her, kissing her upper legs, while the brunette's arms aided the young woman's weakening balance, her hands free to wonder. Haruka nodded again, though not to what her father was saying, her mouth dry. Titania continued to move higher—

"Oh!" Haruka's voice gave out.

Her father raised an eyebrow. And Haruka's mind raced for something to say that could be vague—anything that would make him think that she had been listening the whole time. A small part of her feared if what was under her dress was found out.

"That was kind of what I had been thinking about, sir," she said, her voice weak. She hoped it matched the tone of the discussion. "And I am sorry that we at times don't understand each other."

Her father smiled warmly, perhaps for the first time in years at her. The man stepped forward, Haruka trying not to shrink back, and placed a hand on the side of her face: and she wished for a moment that she had been listening. "Perhaps there is still hope for the both of us," he said gently. He finally turned and left, his shadow receding down the wall.

Haruka's body jerked. She rolled her eyes, snapping out of everything, and knocked her knees against the intruder's body, interrupting their work. A moan slipped out from the blonde's lips, as Titania's expert fingers moved out of her, her head peaking out from under her dress milliseconds later.

"Yes?" she purred innocently.

"He's gone," Haruka found herself whispering. She stepped away so that the woman underneath was revealed.

"Shall we continue then, before I return to the dinner table?" The brunette stood, and looked down at Haruka, despite the blonde's own tall height.

Haruka took in a shaky breath, but she was confident of her answer, despite what her body told her. "No." She turned her head to the side as she took in the older woman's look. "Not like this," she continued, indicating her evening gown. "Maybe as what I really am, but not like this."

Titania nodded, her eyes understanding. "Very well," she said, her voice business like. She went into her jacket pocket searching around for something. The brunette handed her a crumpled piece of parchment, before starting down the hall after what felt like hours. "Piracy may have its many flaws, but it might be helpful in starting a new." Her own shadow began to slowly recede down the walls, and Haruka was left all alone.

Stunned, the young blonde, sank slowly to the floor, still trying to get over the way she was touched. Her fingers shakily unfolded the yellowed, crinkled parchment. It revealed one word:

_Elysia_.

* * *

The sea Captain shook her head, and saw that the sun had moved up a bit, the blue in the sky over taking the reds and purples. She couldn't help but to laugh at the memory to herself. Her younger self had kept the parchment, even until it began to tear and crumble, and finally lost it on her first voyage out with a pirate crew, keying the beginning of her new life. The blonde's own style of dress even mimicked the Captain of _The Nereid_'s style, and still, to a certain extent after all this time, still gave a salute to the woman who gave her the new life.

She looked over her shoulder, and saw that Michiru was still in a deep sleep. The smaller woman shifted slightly, taking over more of the bed that she was no longer sharing. Haruka sighed heavily before pulling out her pocket watch. She got up, and stood over the bar maiden, finding it hard to leave—and bent over enough to pull the blanket up to Michiru's chin.

The blonde woman lifted the delicate appearing hand to her lips, and she kissed it softly, before heaving herself out of the door. Before she passed out of the _Ariel_, she dropped a few coins in the barkeeper's bearly hands. The morning's sun nearly blinded her as she walked down the main street of Elysia, towards where her ship was waiting.

* * *

Michiru shifted as she slowly came to. Slowly she opened her eyes, the sun filtering in, and the sky a peaceful, bright blue. It took the aqua haired woman a few moments to remember how she had gotten into one of the rooms in the upper floors of the _Ariel_, but slowly the sweet memories returned. Turning to her side, she breathed in a sharp breath when she realized that Haruka was gone, and finally lifted up into sitting position.

The delicate woman stood up heavily. Of course the pirate captain wouldn't stay the night—that was how it always happened. As if Haruka's feet got too restless for her, and she couldn't stay in one spot for too long. Michiru insisted to herself that Haruka would always come back, but found that thought infuriating. She was becoming dependent on a pirate who could get arrested and hung in some foreign land, or who would decide to get bored of her and find someone else to preoccupy her time, instead of trying to fulfill her part of the bargain.

The floor creaked as she moved across it, unhooking the curtains, and allowing them to close before she exited out of the small room. Michiru hurried down the stairs when she realized the time—she was late for work. She found the barkeep and he offered to let her return to her home and freshen up before coming back to begin her day. Thanking him, Michiru hurried out of the bar and out onto the street, her thoughts still on her blonde-haired pirate.

* * *

Crew from other ships milled around, and Michiru almost hoped to find ones that were familiar to the _Iphis_, but with no such luck, days later. They wore clothing of all colors and styles, a plethora of cultures running together in one small city. Fishermen brought in the early morning catch, yelling orders and prices. Other stalls opened up to hundreds of goods, from fresh fruits, to jewelry, to papers for book binding. It was home to the aqua haired young woman, and had been for a few years.

Ever since she settled into the ever changing city, her life gained a sort of menotiny that it had never before had. Though she was grateful for it, a small part of her wished for the adventure that Haruka got a taste of almost daily. She was young, very young when she came to Elysia, scared and without money. Looking for work was easy. Michiru appeared many years older than she really was, and used it to her advantage.

Kidnapped from her family as a child, she was moved into slavery. Dragged over dirt roads in caravans, dragged over seas in the cramped, diseased ships. The crafty girl had escaped, knowing that she was one in many, even though her captors had taken her because of her peculiar beauty and matured body. The aqua haired girl stowed away on a pirate's ship and found herself in the middle of Elysia—it was only a matter of time before she landed her bar maiden's job from a kindly bearly set man and would finally feel safe.

Throughout both of her lives, she gained the skills needed to make her stand out: playing the violin and guitar helped her gain extra tips at the _Ariel_ as well as the more exotic and high class _Menarsia _located somewhere near the center of town. Carried over from her old life, as well, was her air of calm that she carried about her when entering the room. When she gained her job, she also gained the ability to socialize with the dregs of society: the pirates, merchants, traders, and gamblers. They were all people too, wanting the ear of a beautiful lady to listen to them as they told wild tales and mixed their drinks.

Dropping a few coins at a nearby bakery, she picked up a quick breakfast, chewing distractedly at the sweet bread as she walked. She turned a corner, and moved down a rope latter, entering the levels below where her small home was buried. Most of the people who worked regularly lived somewhere down there, and with her small wages, she was able to afford the rent.

She entered into a small hole in the wall, the place she called home. It was tidy and bright with the help of things that she had bought off of sailors and assorted booths—at a discount of course, using her full figure to her advantage. Michiru opened the curtains allowing light into the place, the sea breeze filtering in as she poured water into a deep bowl before washing off the grime of last night from her face and neck. She used a rough sponge to scrub her arms, legs, and feet, before digging into her closet for a fresh change of clothing. That's what she got for flirting with someone so far gone.

Minutes later she was back outside and back onto the main level of Elysia, moving back to her tavern. The bar keep allowed her a few more minutes while she drank her hot, green tea outside, dropping stale crust onto the wood of the floor while a stray dog snapped it up. It barked happily at her as it moved on to beg more scraps from someone else. As she sipped her tea, she brought out a small, worn book and began to read it with her free hand.

After a few tries at reading the same paragraph at the bottom of the page, she found that she was far too distracted to do any reading. She folded the book back into her apron, swallowing down the rest of her tea. From the back of the bar area, when she returned to the inside of the pub, she dug around one of the buckets for a dry rag to start clearing the empty tables.

* * *

It was during one of the slow lulls between large rushes, so she was able to move around easily without getting interrupted. She cleaned the rough wood of the table after she stacked all of the soiled dishes and placed them at a corner. Repeating this, she moved along to several tables, before pausing a few minutes to return the dishes to the sink where another bar maiden took up the shift of cleaning them.

Snapping back to reality, she found that she was at a familiar booth, cleaning off the bread crumbs off of the surface. To calm her nerves, Michiru hummed softly to herself, though her mind continued to wonder. The aqua haired woman found herself slowing in her work, as if pulled by an invisible force to the booth. It was the empty place that Haruka and herself would share when they would continue their meetings.

Michiru didn't want to admit it to herself, but she felt as though the spaces between their meetings were getting longer and longer. She didn't know whether to be worried that Haruka might be killed or hurt, or angered that she might not return for another person, or cheered that the weight of being in love had been taken off her heart. It was infuriating. Somehow infuriating in a good way. Part of her knew that Haruka would never leave a challenge like the one she had set, and the child-like smile that the blonde gave her when she realized that she made the aqua haired girl happy, was enough to assure her that Haruka wouldn't miss seeing her on purpose.

Throughout her time on Elysia, Michiru had her pick of any man, but somehow she was drawn inexplicably to this one woman. Their first meeting alone was what set this blonde sea captain apart from all of the others.

It was late into the night over half a year ago, when she came to the sea captain's table. Michiru didn't realize at first that the charismatic blonde was a woman, her guise very well worn. Before she had even come up to Captain Tenoh, she stood around with all the other bar maidens, standing behind the long table of the bar, listening to them all whisper to each other about _him_. They were all curious of the stranger, one of those who didn't come by the _Ariel _regularly—they would have all remembered someone that handsome.

As they argued, Michiru brought up her own courage, and grabbed one of the full pitchers standing on the counter's edge, before heading to the new stranger's booth. By the time she reached him, she could tell that the drink's stupor was already washing over him—and she knew immediately that Oberon had given him his best and strongest drink.

"Excuse me, sir?" she said, her voice more timid than she had intended. His eyes snapped open, focusing fully on the aqua haired bar maiden. Michiru found that she was frozen under the unreadable gaze—it was playful, childlike, but somehow felt as if it stared right through her. She struggled for something to say. "There was a man who ordered rounds on the whole house upstairs," she explained lamely. A lie.

His stupor slowed him down; she nearly giggled. The new stranger looked as if he was having a hard time trying to figure out what to say as well, but most likely for different reasons. "I'm sorry, normally I'm more the life of the party."

Then the crooked smile she had fallen in love with, though at that time she didn't know it. All she knew was that something in the back of her mind clicked. She hesitated, pulled in by the captain's deep blue eyes. Michiru heard his feet shuffle, as he moved them out of the seat opposite to him.

"Come, sit," he said gently. When the blonde seemed to read the look of apprehension on her, his own face broke into a kind smile. "I won't bite."

The aqua haired woman sat down slowly in front of the blonde captain, placing the pitcher it front of her, as if placing a wall between the two. The young man sipped his drink as the music from the upper floor took over the conversation. Neither knew what to say to each other, yet were somehow drawn into each other's presence.

"I suppose that this is making your friend's jealous?" he asked, his eyes chuckling at Michiru.

"Huh?" she asked, her mind working too slow. "Oh." She glanced over towards where all the other bar maidens were grouped together, all of them sneaking glances at their table. She smiled, and hid behind her pitcher when she realized her cheeks were coloring. Most were giggling and smiling, urging the aqua haired woman on, while one or two glared at her with jealousy. "I don't think so," she replied, shaking her head. "Does that happen to you all the time?"

"The flirting and the cow eyes?" He chuckled softly. "Yes, from both men and women." Michiru found herself looking at him with wide and confused eyes. Before she could inquire why, he held out a hand over the table. They shook hands, and the blonde finally introduced himself. "I'm Haruka Tenoh, the Captain of the _Iphis_." His hand was soft, smooth, and warm, and the aqua haired woman found that she couldn't make eye contact with him.

"My name is..." She hesitated for a moment, wondering if she should really give him her real name. After seconds' debate, she decided on just her first name. "Michiru."

"Beautiful name," Haruka commented softly.

But the bar maiden wasn't going to easily let go of what he said, her curiosity already piqued and forcing her to speak out. "So how do you attract both men and women?"

He scratched his throat distractedly. "Depends on what I'm wearing," the Captain of the _Iphis_ answered vaguely. He looked like he was going through some of his own debates in his mind as well. Both people were well guarded against each other, though slowly they began to peak through the gates. "Some days I dress as a man, and other days I dress as a woman." He was still infuriatingly vague. She was beginning to lose interest.

"What are you really, then?" she asked him, shifting her weight just enough to indicate that she would be getting up soon if he didn't stop with his games.

"A woman, who likes adventure, and finds that she can get much farther in men's clothing." Even though Haruka's eyes were still coy, her voice sounded slightly rushed, as if she still doubted Michiru's trust, but still wanted to keep her sitting there. "Happy?"

Michiru touched her lips with two fingers as she pretended to ponder, toying with the sea captain sitting right across from her. "Yes, I suppose. For now." She looked closely at the blonde captain before speaking again, still toying with her. "So you mentioned that it's easier to go on adventures in your guise? What kind have you been on?"

Haruka wagged her finger at the aqua haired bar maiden. "Uh, uh, uh. What do I get for being the master storyteller?" She sat back in her seat, crossing her arms over her chest. "And before you doubt me, I've been on a lot."

The bar maiden got the picture when she saw a sly smile forming on the sea captain's lips. She pursed her lips, and looked at him through half shut eyes. "Oh, I see now," she said, still looking at him with her eyes half shut. She moved the pitcher off to the side, putting _Captain_ Tenoh ill at ease. The blonde sat up straight. "You want to impress me, like you do the other men and woman, and impress them so much that they just throw their bodies at you and sleep with you?" She touched her lips again with her fingers, a sarcastic sign that she was pretending to consider her options. "And I suppose that telling them your real gender is a pick up line?"

Michiru shifted her weight, wanting to get up and storm off, but found that some small part of her was still undecided about the blonde that sat right before her. Slowly she watched the woman's face drain completely of color, only to return a bright pink along her cheek bones. The woman's dark blue eyes froze, both of embarrassment and fury. Michiru stood her ground and stared back at her unblinkingly.

"I am greatly insulted that you assume that I sleep with men, first of all," Haruka said, her index finger pounding into the table. "And second of all, it is not a pick up line. Most don't even know of my little secret until I impress them so much, that they don't care that I'm a woman." With each word, her anger seemed to filter out, like steam, until the color to her face returned. "So thirdly, yes, you are correct on the fact that I do lure women to bed with my tales of swashbuckling adventure that keep them on the edges of their seats." She grinned crookedly.

"And I must congratulate you on angering me—not very many can do it so quickly and with as little time of knowing me as you have." The woman's face and body language appeared to have forgotten the anger completely. She held a hand out towards Michiru. "The offer still stands." The blonde captain looked like she didn't mean it, but the bar maiden took her offer seriously.

"That I still sleep with you?" Michiru let the blonde's hand hang in the air, and crossed her arms over her chest, closing the gate, her defenses back up and strong. "And what do I get? The lovely memory of you? No, I'm sorry, I'd like to get to know people that I'm going to be sleeping with. And I get the feeling, that like me, you don't like putting yourself out there."

"And what do you suggest now that we're at a crossroads?" Haruka had her own arms over her chest, her defenses rising. Her eyes and mouth held a relaxed smile, her head slightly tilted.

Michiru didn't know what she was getting herself into, and as time passed, the aqua haired girl unable to stop it, she found that she was digging herself into a deeper and deeper pit. She didn't know where she was going.

"Well," she said slowly, "We either drop this conversation, and we leave each other, never to see each other again... Or," she paused dramatically, taking a deep breath. The bar maiden decided on the first impossible thing that came to her mind, something that would forever get rid of this one person who made her so uneasy—or give her something that she had never had. Though it was a small chance, she insisted confidently to herself. "We can get to know each other, and you can tell me about your voyages over to foreign lands."

Haruka's face broke into a boyish grin. But Michiru was not finished.

She raised a finger, taking a deep breath before elaborating. "If you want to sleep with _me_ so badly, I want you to write your adventures—I mean when it's all quiet on the seas. I've heard other sailors talking: it gets very boring out there, with nothing to do."

Haruka's jaw dropped. When she realized that it was gaping open, she closed it, her jaw line working as she tried to come up with something to say. "You mean like love letters?"

Michiru sat back suddenly, her face turning red and eyes widening. "No!" Then she said much more softly. "No. That's not what I meant. Write them as a letter. You know. Like you would to a friend."

"And I get to sleep with you?" The blonde's face was incredulous.

_And here's where she goes running out of the door, or starts to burst out laughing before she goes and finds someone else_, thought Michiru. Even though she felt relieved at the idea, her heart was hammering. "Yes."

But Haruka's face broke into a wider grin. Michiru found that she had miscalculated horribly: the pirate captain looked as if she saw it as a game. A challenge. And more than that: a challenge that she had to win. The smile was suddenly sucked in as the blonde pursed her lips, looking down at the table as she thought. She looked back up, her deep blue eyes shinning, challenging her.

"If I'm going to write these tales, you know, put that much effort into them—as much as I think you are wanting me to do—then there needs to be some sort of compromise." Michiru listened to her patiently, her brain too stunned to put out any useful information for her. "I need to—we need to—get to know each other. Like to become friends, so I can be inspired to write to a, you know, a friend."

Clever, clever.

Again Haruka held out her hand for the third and last time, her eyes almost telling Michiru to trust her completely. The bar maiden hesitated, but the hand never wavered as she stared stupidly at it. Everything around her softened, as if cotton filled her ears. And she had to admit to herself that this was a stupid impossible thing.

She shook her hand.

With that the blonde pirate captain stood, Michiru looking back up at her with a stunned look. The blonde raised both her eyebrows. "What?" she said, her voice sounding amused. "I have my deal to keep, and I will return the next time my ship lands here. I promise. But," she said as she began to leave the aqua haired woman behind, "I have a few bodily urges that I need to satisfy—this one time." Her voice sounded reassuring, but Michiru began to doubt this woman's honesty.

The aqua haired woman slowly stood up, lifting up her pitcher, and watched this strange pirate walk out of the pub. Feeling surreal and uneasy, she told herself that would be the last time she saw of the woman, no matter how confident those dark blue eyes looked.

But for once, she was wrong. Haruka did return, not two weeks later, swaggering the same way she had done the first time. The blonde waited for her patiently at the very same booth near the back. She didn't tap on her shoulder, bang on the bartender's table—she just moved to the back, and waited for Michiru to walk in that direction. When the aqua haired woman did pass, she at first didn't notice the blonde waiting for her. Haruka had this smug grin on her face as she waited for Michiru to slowly register that she was there.

The pitcher nearly dropped out her hands, but Michiru caught herself and closed her mouth. An angry blush rose to her cheeks when Haruka began to laugh, even as she indicated for the bar maiden to sit across from her. As soon as the bar maiden did sit, however, she found that her anger was swallowed away into nothing—and they began to talk. They talked far into the night, neither of them aware of the time passing, and the barkeeper, Oberon, didn't even call for her when he needed the help. It was a strange time. But when Haruka did leave, Michiru found that she felt relaxed, a warm feeling flowing through her that she was unable to identify.

Haruka returned several times after, and they stayed up just as late each and every time. It took the blonde a while to open up, though the aqua haired girl didn't force it, understanding what it was like to talk about something difficult. She talked about the first crew she ended up being around—though not how she had gotten there. Nothing about her family. The pirate Captain talked about how she had rose up in the ranks and gained her own crew, though Michiru knew that she was leaving out large blanks. She didn't mind.

The first time the sea captain tried to bring in a letter, or so she had insisted, it was lost. Burned by the judge who was putting her on trial when she was captured. Haruka insisted that she escaped... Just not the letters. They were used as evidence, then were burned when the judge was in a fit of rage as her crew bailed her out. Michiru nodded with an eyebrow raised, and even though the deal was not fulfilled, Haruka told her anyway.

When she left, she insisted that she would bring in another set, and this time they would not get lost: Though when Haruka did return, they were in fact taken by the wind and lost at sea. In keeping up with the pattern, the blonde told her the adventure anyway, even though she would not be getting anything for the night. They would both stand by their word.

* * *

"Michiru, are you going to wipe that table down until there is nothing?" a bearly voice asked. The bar maiden jumped, yanked out of her thoughts. Oberon stood behind her, a soiled towel resting on his arm. He couldn't help but to chuckle when he saw the blank look on the woman's face when she turned around to look at him.

He was a big man, tall and wide, and his arms were covered in hair—probably like the rest of him. The old barkeep had faded tattoos on on his upper arms, and when Michiru saw him move just right, she could see another one peaking up his collar bone. Despite his intimidating looks, he was the most gentle man that she had ever met. And he was always there to listen and advise the young woman, taught her how to deal with rowdy customers, and when she had first gotten here, listened to all her troubles, keeping his mouth sealed shut. She was thankful for his friendship, both for his company, and also because she felt like she had become a better person by learning from him.

She sat down so that she could look at him better. "Oh, sorry," she softly. "I guess I've been distracted lately."

"That woman who comes swaggering in on occasion?" When he saw the surprised look on her face, he continued with a smile, speaking ruefully. "I know she's a woman. Took me a few times to figure it out." He eased his heavy weight at the other side of the booth—sitting in Haruka's place—before continuing.

"And I think, despite whatever all you are worried about in this, that it is good for you. I feel as though that you have never seen this side of yourself before, and I feel like it would be worth exploring." He waggled a finger at her, his dark eyes stopping her short before she could saying anything. "Despite the hole you think you've put yourself in."

With that, he got up, picking up the dirty mug that had been left there before turning to leave. As she watched him go, she saw him begin to clean the mug with his own rag, shouting loud greetings to the sailors that had just stopped by. She couldn't help but to smile at him, before getting up and returning to her own duties.

She continued throughout the day and well into the evening. Whatever emotions and worries that had been slowing her in her job had disappeared, and she felt like a brand new person. More at ease with herself. She sat around with other sailors and merchants, playing cards and gambling just like the rest of them, and later she moved table by table asking for an update on outside news as she refilled the mugs with _Ariel_'s famous ale. When she glanced at one of the customers' watch, she found that she only had a few more minutes before she would be off for the night, and immediately felt more light footed than ever.

She moved over to clean the table nearest to her, and found that the candle there was beginning to burn out. After Michiru finished clearing the table, she went behind the bar where storage was, and grabbed a fresh white candle and returned to replace it. Lighting a match, she felt a presence over her. "Wait a moment," said the aqua haired woman as she continued what she was doing. The wick of the candle sparked one or two times as she held the match in place, before it finally took alight. She blew out the fizzling match, turning around as she did so.

"Haruka!" Michiru said, her voice suddenly breathless. She couldn't help but smile, but then it dropped milliseconds later when she took in the blonde's face. "What's wrong?" she asked, turning her head to the side. Haruka's eyes were not shining in the light as they had always done when they met each other, but looked downcast. She looked a wreck. "Did something happen on your last voyage?"

The aqua haired bar maid made her way towards the back of the pud, the blonde following in two. They were both silent—until they were both seated. It was Haruka who first spoke.

"I don't have the letter—I lost it again." She smirked in spite of herself. "It's strange how it keeps on happening."

Michiru reached out to touch one of the sea captain's lone hands, but the way the blonde glanced up, she withdrew her own hand. "Don't worry about it," she said, her voice soft, even though she was still confused. "What happened?"

Haruka glanced around her. "You have time? The last time I kept you up, I kind of felt bad." She scratched the back of her head, looking sheepish.

"I don't mind," Michiru replied earnestly. She was embarrassed to admit to herself that she felt like a child settling down for a bedtime story. "Oberon doesn't mind it either, actually," she added.

"Who?"

"The barkeeper of the _Ariel_."

"Oh. Why didn't I know that?" Haruka thought out loud, looking up at the dark ceiling. She shook her head. She stretched her hands out in front of her, splaying her fingers out onto the wood of the table, as if she was putting off telling Michiru the tale. She took in a couple of deep breaths, and when she looked up at Michiru, she found that she was once more swallowed up into the woman's light blue eyes. "Well, it started like this..."

* * *

**AN:**

**Thanks for your reviews, again: **James and Petiyaka! :DDD


	6. Act Four

**Act Four: The Beginning of Khaos**

Haruka paused, and looked back up at Michiru, not realizing that she had been staring at the table, her long fingers still splayed out in front of her. "Let me give you some background story."

Michiru was about to argue wanting to know immediately what was wrong with her captain, but she clamped her mouth shut. It seemed to be a part of the ritual now. The pirate captain of the Iphis would come into the pub, sometime late at night—though sometimes she would surprise the bar maiden and come in the early evening. They would both sit down at the same booth near the back so that Haruka could tell her story uninterrupted—but she would begin by giving her facts, and other background stories that she thought would be useful for Michiru to know. Then she would begin the story that would bring them far into the night.

To say the least, Michiru didn't mind at all.

"Now Ouranös—"

Michiru sat back. "Wait a minute, the man that is constantly annoying you?" She shook her head. "Why do you keep him around if he causes you so much turmoil?"

"He doesn't!" Haruka said defensively. She rolled her eyes, momentarily forgetting her mood. "I mean, he does sometimes, but I think all for the good of the ship. Proteus likes to joke around and refer to us as the mother and father of the ship—despite the fact that we don't have that kind of relationship..." She added the last part hastily, when she saw an eyebrow raise on Michiru's face.

"Anyway," Haruka said, sitting back as she settled into the tale. "Ouranös, as you may not know, is our navigator. When I first met him, I actually didn't know that he had such a valuable skill, all I knew was that there was an imposter lurking around somewhere in the Lieres."

Michiru nodded her head in recognition—she had heard of it before. It was a town somewhere along the coast of one of the bigger continents. Normal civilians avoided it, a home that had been more for the corrupt. Strangely enough, within the passed year and a half, according to passing sailors, it had been undergoing some major improvements. So Haruka must have known Ouranös for at least that long, she told herself, even as the blonde sea captain continued speaking.

"It was another one of my favorite places to go, probably because of the lack of rules, but the first time I was there was for a completely different reason other than gambling and starting duels... During that time, I had been looking for rumors over where the star seed could have been hidden, following whatever droplet of information I could get a hold of... They had led me to Lieres."

* * *

Lieres seemed to be having one of its rare quiet days as the Iphis came to one of the long piers that stretched out to the shallow parts of the ocean. It was sunny, though cool, as autumn set in throughout town, clouds thick and white as they floated by. Haruka shielded her eyes as she looked around her, a grin sneaking to her mouth as she heard a random bar fight off into the distance.

The palace, an old fortress that had been updated, stood off about a mile down the coast. Most of the foundation was built up of old stones, and even some of the houses and businesses shown the remainder of that long ago history. Everything on top was built of wood and brick, painted bright appealing colors, run efficiently on electricity. To Haruka's surprise, outbreaks of fires had gone down a great deal since the switch. It was ahead in its time, most of the major cities still ran on lanterns with the aid of oil.

It's port was bustling with ships of all classes, and the blonde captain even spotted a ship from the Aquarios navy moving at a slow and dignified pace. It was large, silver-and-blue, sticking out against the rest of the ships, even though it was rather medium in size. There were a few other sloops zipping about just like their own, along with galley ships; and even some that Haruka couldn't identify.

When they finally got out on the streets, Haruka was able to get a closer look of the town. Her crew scattered, looking first for food, and then someone to pawn off all of their share of the treasure. Colorful banners floated in the air, kept in place with flag poles or windowsills. The homes and some of the store fronts were built of warm light red-orange brick, terracotta scaling the roofs. Porches covered the fronts of them, people hanging out from them as they held drinks, their breath coming out of their mouths as steam.

Lieres seemed to be a happy sort of town, and the blonde sea captain wished that she had visited it sooner. All around seemed to be some sort of giant party, going on all around her. Mulled wine was being sold at every street corner, along with hot cider, and strangely enough, iced cream. People clustered around in huge groups around people like jugglers and story tellers, to a fire swallower. Lute music played in the air above the sound of chattering people. The sound of bones breaking as someone's face hit the pavement...

The blonde snapped out of her peaceful reverie at the sound. Of course she would be well acquainted with such an off sound—with as many battles as she had been in. It was hard to tell exactly where the sound had been coming from, there were so many groups around the streets. Of course, it was easy, once she decided to look at the ground, finding some distance away a splattering of blood, and that strange buzzing that people made when surrounding a fight.

Haruka shifted her body around people, squeezing through the particular group. It was easy because everyone was so distracted by the drama going on in front of them. Two men in uniform rose up drunkenly, facing each other with a sort of hate and anger that could only be reached when one's eye had been blacked out. One of the men had their eyes swollen, the other's nose shattered. People cheered when they clashed once more, and one of them fell back—possibly the same one that she heard a few seconds before.

This was enough: one of them wouldn't be getting up soon, if someone didn't do anything. Haruka fortunately thought that she was the one, since no one else seemed to be making the effort.

"Hey!" she shouted, through the buzzing crowd, finally making it to the front.

The people around her quieted, stunned at the sound of her commanding voice. The two men paused, eying her, stunned. One of the men had his fist raised, the fallen man's collar clutched with the other. He dropped him immediately, and the beaten man grunted as his body hit the cobble stones. He rolled to his stomach, coughing up blood that had gathered in his cheek. The winning man stood up and saluted to her, which she almost took as sarcasm if it weren't for the serious look in his eyes.

"Sir!"

The blonde sea captain decided to go along with it, and put on her most serious and commanding face she could muster. "What is this meaning of this?"

The winner looked from her, to the man on the floor, and then back to her, too dumbfounded to say anything at first. "Uh, uhn." He shook his head. "I'm sorry sir."

Haruka mock sighed. Mock flames rose up in her eyes, and her teeth were bared in a mock growl. "Take him to the nearest infirmary and report to your post—immediately!"

The man nodded his head in a slight bow, before going and yanking the other guy with such force that it dislocated his shoulder. Haruka changed her mind, and didn't say anything about the non-gentleness, and watched the two walk off passed the dispersing crowd. She hoped that they were headed to the infirmary, but doubted it.

Shaking her head, she headed towards the closest food stand with the most appealing smells wafting from it. Confetti flurried towards the ground, her thick blonde hair catching some of the colorful bits of paper. When the blonde sea captain took a large bite out of a sandwich, loaded with roasted meat, she heard another startling sound: a fist possibly connecting to a jaw bone. The sound of a dead weight hitting the ground—again.

Haruka continued chewing, making her way over to a second crowd, following the feeling of deja vu. There were fights going on everywhere! She unwrapped the sandwich a little bit farther, the wax paper crinkling between her fingers. This time the sea captain decided to stay out, watching it from the periphery She found Proteus, drawn by the same commotion, hands inside of his pockets.

"Second one I've seen today," Haruka muttered to her old friend.

"Third for me, young captain," replied the old sea man, patting his large stomach. "I get the feeling that it's just part of the town."

"Huh."

Haruka turned to look at Proteus, baffled as to why all the fights were happening. It almost reminded her of her home _Elysia_. The old man merely chuckled, moving down the cobblestone street, hands folded behind his back. After shaking her head, Haruka tore her eyes away from the fist fight before taking his side. They passed similar crowds, though when they peaked in, the centers contained something different each time: A juggler, a fire breather, a story teller... The sea side town appeared to have a strange face.

"So what's the plan, my captain?" smiled the old man through his thick beard.

"Well, the regent appears to have some valuables that are worth checking into and taking," grinned Haruka in spite of herself. "We just have to figure out how to get to them.

They passed by a small shop, the front glass covered with parchment, saying things like 'the Pure Heart Band' at this bar, an article on something-Galactica, , to wanted ads—Danburite for twenty five thousand quid. _ Not a bad price,_ thought Haruka, though the image looked a bit vague. Ahead, the palace rose in the horizon, minarets and domes beautifully scattered around. And somewhere in there, was her treasure.

"Are you always drawn to impossible tasks?"

Haruka snapped her attention back. She shrugged, looking up at him through half shut eyes. "Impossible tasks are what I do best."

* * *

Everyone regrouped at the _Iphis_ an hour later, the sea captain eager to get things moving along. There was an electricity moving about the deck, her crew milling around excitedly. As soon as they saw their captain walking down the pier, they flocked around the center of the deck, waiting for orders. Proteus blended in with the crowd, Haruka's first and second in command standing at her side when she joined the crew.

Pontos was the first that had been around the palace, unfolding rolls of parchment from his jacket onto one of the emptied barrels that had been brought out. On the long, yellowed sheets, were details and notes of the palace and detailed ink sketches. After settling it down, the skinny man folded his hands behind his back, and sank slowly into the crowd.

The blonde sea captain knelt down in front of it, low enough so that everyone around her could see it as well. The treasury was located somewhere near the middle of the overgrown building, below the main level. Of course, the floor of the main level was three feet thick, and made of stone, though it could be easily reached by a staircase on each of the far walls to the left and right. If there were no guards posted.

Haruka bit lightly at her index finger, which curled around her bottom lip. At least three of the crew knew exactly what that look read. The gears inside of the blonde sea captain's head cranked, and when they caught a hold of an idea, they whizzed faster. It was a challenge. Something that some of the crew knew what she lived for, and she would become known and infamous.

The first part of the plan was easily worked out after a few moments of discussing all of the details and all the cricks in the road that could pop up. Haruka would be the one to scout out the inside of the palace, following the sketches on the parchment. Though _how _was what made the blonde sea captain's skin crawl: Randy suggested that she come dressed as a high ranking lady.

At his observation from other towns, it was a lady that would be able to come in and out of something as extravagant as a palace that easily. Particularly high-ranking ladies wore masks on the upper part of their face, hiding the forehead, eyes, as well as the bridge of the nose. The disguise was perfect, and the only woman in the crew just happened to be their captain. Even at her insistence that it was now fashionable for pirates to take the guise of the opposite sex, she was led below decks by her elbows.

Unfortunately for Haruka, the crew was easily able to procure the needed wear for her from one of the trunks stashed in the back of the crew's quarters. Most of these sturdy wooden trunks just contained junk that the crew collected over the years, something that they would find useful perhaps at some other time. As soon as all of this mess was over, Haruka would make sure that every single scrap would be thrown over board.

Randy and Proteus stood watch as she dressed below the decks, grumbling while she fussed with the garters. One of her legs was propped up on the walls in an unladylike like fashion as she tried her best to get everything into place. She looked up dolefully at the small, circular window, which was too small for her to escape. Despite her complaining, she knew that she was the perfect man for the job. Yes, being a woman did fit the job description perfectly, but she did have the training and manors that would be needed for such a place. She had just hoped that the training would have stayed locked up for good.

When she adjusted the corset as best she could, she waved over to Proteus, the only man she could trust in such an instance. He tightened it, until her waist line was at the fashionable radius, her societal cage invisible and under clothing when it was all said and done. To hide her short, cascading blonde hair, she placed a hooded cloak around her shoulders, perfect for the autumn temperature... Along with the most ridiculous three foot silver haired wig that she could find.

Finally, she was released from the ship, where she blended in with all of the town's people. The treatment was almost immediate, people standing straighter as she passed them, and some of the men nodded their heads in a slight bow, before returning to their raucous jokes and tales. That was a world that she couldn't be a part of had she continued her old life.

As she moved closer to the palace, she saw the subtle changes of the atmosphere around her. The houses and other buildings, though similar in style, were better taken care of because of the extra cash flow, even down to the coblestones. Clothing became more and more extravagant and more fitted. A few in this area of town did stare at her, wondering why this strange lady was moving about unescorted. Here Haruka truly felt alone, even though the seaside town seemed to be in a constant celebration.

The palace lay just ahead. Even though it was massive in size, it was a squat building, only raising about a single story of the tallest building. It was the type of ruling building that didn't want itself to be intimidating, which appeared to be a good sign to the sea captain.

Confetti rained in the air, and littered the ground, in the colors of red, yellow, purple, and blue. Even this close to the palace, she could still hear the sounds of fist fights sounding in the empty, cold air, above the accordion music, and the sound of fire being hurtled into the air by fire-breathers. Haruka also saw officials swaggering around in their cliques as they talked business, and guards wandering around in small packs, their laughter barking out like dogs. Still the food was quick, grilled, or fried. Her mouth watered, though she knew it wasn't the time to snack. She felt reassured, though, seeing ladies of the rank she was dressed eating the same food that the working class ate—the societal rules seemed to be a bit more slack than her home town. She wouldn't mind retiring here.

She finally came to the palace, and entered without a single call from any of the elegantly dressed guards who stood posted by the grand entrance. The captain couldn't help but to notice that they seemed a bit hung over.

* * *

The Regent of the town of Lieres happened to be a young lady. The old regent died from poisoning, and she inherited the rank, taking great care to enjoy her time with her new calling before finally handing it over to its original ruling family. Unlike all of the other women of higher status, she went mask-less, and required anyone else working for her to go the same way as well. After all she was the regent, and could do whatever her heart desired. Lieres was not the type to follow strictly to protocol anyway, and if one really cared to follow it, then so be it.

Just don't drag the Regent Minako down with you.

Even though it was one of her last official days as this said rank, she was excited and cheery—it was another reason to throw a party. She was sure that her new Queen would be absolutely thrilled at the condition of the town and her upkeep. The economy was actually booming, and people from all around (and even much farther than that) came to visit the place where pretty much anything goes. Well short of the three major sins: Murder, Thievery, and Rape.

The long-haired blonde lounged on the golden throne lazily, being fed plump, red strawberries by the fingers of well endowed men and women that she had personally chosen for her own pleasure and enjoyment. Few were given the job of fanning her with large peacock feathers, while others lounged beautifully next to her. Did she ever mention that she enjoyed her position of being Regent?

The garments she wore that day were threaded with pure gold, webbing together fabric that was as soft and sleek as silk. It looked like mist, wrapping around the town's temporary ruler, and at the top of its empire waist grew petals, barely hiding her round, full breasts. A crown of a similar petaled style decorated her blonde head.

Adonis knelt above her, as she stroked his jaw line before he kissed her. Minako ignored the even sound of footsteps moving closer to her throne room, focusing more on the man's warm, soft, strong hands moving to cup the breast furtherest from him, the golden petals barely hiding what his hand was artfully fondling. She grinned under the kiss, pulling him into the chair with her when she noticed the steps stopped.

"Excuse me! What the hell are you doing on my throne?" demanded a voice just in front of Minako.

The blonde regent breathed in sharply from under the kiss, and cupped Adonis' chin, giving him the command to pull away for the moment. Obediently he did as he was ordered, but there was a gentle smile on his face. Minako never once admitted to herself that there was something stronger than lust that pulled her to him, but she kept him close all the same.

The Regent rolled her eyes, pulling her blue eyes away from the man, to look at the person who had spoken so rudely to her. Before her eyes, was a woman just about her age, with a temper similar to that of a poisonous viper. She had long, raven black hair, and dark eyes. And she was dressed as if she held the rank of a priestess... Minako dismissed it, deciding that she loved her all the more.

She jumped off of the throne in one bound, spreading her hands out wide to the future ruler. "Rei! How nice it is to see you!"

Before Rei could do anything, she found that the blonde had her enveloped in a furious hug. The dark haired woman tried her best to suppress a sneer, looking down the woman's neck, wondering if that woman's bear chest was actually touching her. She shoved the blonde head off of her, and righted herself before speaking.

"This is not appropriate," she began. "You will—"

"Of course it is!" insisted Minako, the grin never leaving her face. "It is because I say so, as well as because you say so!"

The future ruler closed her eyes and began to message her temples. She took a couple of deep, steadying breaths, before trying again. "You will call me 'your majesty' from this moment further, Regent." She opened her dark eyes, seeing a pout on the young blonde's face. "Minako," she said in a more gentle tone. "Please, it is protocol. This is how things must be."

Minako was still pouting, but she shrugged and turned away, making the future Queen relax. The long haired blonde turned to face her harem, ordering them to leave, before turning her attention to one of the court officials. Rei inwardly grimaced when she remembered the coronation part that was to be held tomorrow night. The raven haired woman would have rather gone to bed early that night to make up for the sleep she lost during the long voyage home. But she knew that her full sleep nights were numbered and that she better get used to them while she could.

"When you take over for me," Minako began sweetly, joining the soon-to-be-Queen at her side, "Can I still keep all of those beautiful people all around me?"

Rei bit her tongue, feeling her temper and impatience rise up in her mind. The woman decided not to answer that particular question, and merely looked down at the blonde who leaned her weight on the throne rests, and smiled.

Her intentions for the future of Lieres were completely opposite of those of Minako's. The town had become a place of chaos, in her opinion, since the time her father ruled. The King of Lieres had died young of some cancer of the liver, and none of the doctors were able to do anything about it, leaving Minako's father as regent so the then-young Rei could train and take over the town when she was of age. Unfortunately, the raven haired Queen got sidetracked with some of the problems of some distant land—though eventually, she intended Lieres to become allied with it, and help destroy the enemy. She had no intention of leaving Lieres in the sinful mess that it was currently in. Rei wasn't going to tell her friend just yet.

The two girls, though of two different minds, came from the same world. Minako grew up at her side as one of the court, her father a lord, until the death of Rei's father. Rei kept the pain of her father dying inside, grieving from inside her heart. They wrote to each other through a courier from across the globe, and it helped to ease the pain for Rei. Though she had no idea where her thinking came from—Harems? Alcohol? Fights all over the streets? What was she thinking?

Already Rei was coming up with a two year plan to clean up the streets. Already some of the officials were bringing in documents, recording things from the economy, to the crime rate, to how many passed by the sea-side town. One of the older, tarnished thrones were brought in, just for Minako, who, by this time, refused to sit in anything less. She sat by her, and helped her to wade through all of the information—and as the raven haired woman scanned over everything, she found that Minako wasn't that bad of a ruler. Crime was low. And the economy was booming. Maybe the blonde had the right idea.

Rei shook her head. No way.

* * *

Haruka moved around the palace like she owned the place. Finally all the training that she had when she was a young girl snapped back into place, and became useful for one of the only times in her life. The court passed her without a second glance. Women fanned their corseted breasts, men moved around in heavy silks. She frowned. Not one second glance.

The blonde sea captain shook her head, moving on to the things at hand. She looked around, counting how many guards there were around her. As she passed through the large, high ceilinged foyer, she found guards posted at the arched doorways, noting that the main room broke off into three different wings. It would make finding the treasure rooms all the more complicated. But that was why she was out, at the moment, looking for it before the party would start.

Grabbing the evening news from a servant carrying them on a silvered tray, which was printed on thick, cheap parchment, she chose the center passage way on a whim, following behind a woman with quite a large and appealing bustle. Lace fell like a waterfall from behind her, trailing along the thick red carpet below her slippered feet. Haruka hid her head behind the paper, as she casually strolled around, listening out for any conversations that might give a hint to where she wanted to go. Along either side of the high ceilinged hall, were small tables spaced apart every so often, carrying clocks or expensive China, while in between were potted tropical plants. The floor, under the carpet, was of white and cream colored marble.

Her long fingers itched to take something off of the tables, but she restrained herself and continued trailing innocently behind the lady in the lace bustle. The hall ended in more rooms, all either quarters for the people staying at the palace, or rooms dedicated to lounging around. Guards were sparsely posted, and she even chatted with a few, including the woman that Haruka had her eye on. The blonde woman sighed and turned on her heal, just as she flipped the parchment over.

She came back out to the foyer, and decided to head right. If she had remembered the sketches correctly, the right hall (now to her left) happened to be the main throne room, while also leading to other rooms for large social or political parties. The palace was such an oddly shaped building, she slowly began to realize, having a sort of maze-like quality even with its small size. She noticed some navy men swaggering about from that end, guards and other high classed people mingling in the room that came just in front of the throne room. It appeared to be busy, and she hoped that everyone would be too busy about the Queen's arrival to even notice her snooping.

The hall appeared to be cleared of anyone, slowly winding downwards. Instead of being lit naturally by sunlight through the arched windows, it was lit by glowing lanterns from above. The carpet was blue, though the floor was of the same colored marble as she cautiously stepped past. Haruka realized that her heart was hammering, and beat against her chest all the harder because of the corset around her. For a few moments, she leaned back against an empty space of wall, taking a couple of deep breaths. In a normal situation, she would have been fine—Proteus did a good job with the corset.

Towards the end of the hall there were guards dressed in deep violet standing watch, or at least just watching for anyone that looked suspicious. The blonde sea captain steadied herself, and dropped the paper onto one of the tables, before pulling a fan from between her breasts. There was one good thing about having a chest—you had a good place to hide things. She unfolded the fan, and made sure that her tall, silvered wig was upright. Haruka began fanning herself while she looked over at the guards. The way they were standing, and how serious they all looked.

_Bingo_, she thought. For a moment she considered going into the treasury all on her own, and taking as much as she could carry, but dismissed it. More than likely, during the coronation, all the guards would be posted around the throne and ball rooms, with only one by the treasury After all, not many people knew where the Ruler's jewels were, save for maybe one or two of the court—and Pontos' strong observation skills.

"Hello, miss?" called one of the guards. The one on the left was looking at her, but made no hint of moving towards her. "Are you all right?"

Haruka slowly raised her head, in a way that would make his knees knock together. "Oh?" she questioned, as if she was snapping out of a deep and romantic reverie. Her lips opened into a perfect "o", and her eyes widened innocently. "Me? Why yes, I found that I just happened to wonder down here, and decided to take a moment to catch my breath. It is awfully warm in this place."

She slowly, delicately began to step towards the two guards, and true to her training, the youngest one seemed to be turning to mere pudding. The older one on the right gave her a hard look, his eyes cold gray, but he stayed quiet. Slowly, one of his hands moved to his belt where a metal pistol was sheathed and most likely loaded. His grip tightened on his spear. This man was taking no chances, but unfortunately for him, there would be no fight.

The blonde sea captain giggled, hiding her lips behind the fan as she batted her eyes at the youngest guard.

The guard on the left cleared his throat. "Ye-yes it is, my lady," he said with some difficulty. He stared dumbly when she held her hand out into the air, momentarily forgetting what to do. The young man's hand was clammy with nervousness as he gently took it, though his lips were warm when he kissed the back of her hand.

The older man abruptly cleared his throat, snapping him out of his stupor. He banged the bottom of his spear against the marble flooring. The other man, straightened himself suddenly, and adjusted his jackets.

"Milady," he said slowly at first, "You should not be here, and you must run along to where the rest of the court is." The rest came out in a rush, and he pointed towards where she had come. "If you go ahead across, you will find the main dining room where you can join your companions."

Haruka giggled again, and turned on her heal with a ruffling sound of petticoats, lace, and silk, and head towards where he had pointed. Even though she felt like a complete fool, she knew that she had reduced the man to a puddle of sweat. Her half of the mission was successful and complete, and as she slowly began to exit out of the palace, a plan began to form in her mind, sending all the gears running lightening fast.

* * *

Music echoed all around the large, domed room. Light hung from chandeliers made of diamonds, pearls and gold, the columns of marble, gold and amber, as people waltzed on the cool floors of the ballroom. Dresses made of lace and silk fluttered against shoes decorated with ribbon as they moved in the spinning, intricate web of the dance steps that they followed. Gentlemen bowed in front of ladies, while the ladies in turn delicately held out porcelain fingers for them to take.

Skirted around the entrances were the same guards dressed in violet. Along side them were the light blue uniforms of the navy from the ship that had entered into the port a day or so before. Most just looked bored, waiting for their shift to be over so that they could be in a surrounding that they were more accustomed to. Some of the navy-men took advantage of the ball, flirting with a few of the blushing ladies, eventually catching into the clockwork of the dance.

Closer to the golden and jewel incrusted throne danced the majority of the court, and in the middle of it all stood stubbornly the new Queen of Lieres, and a certain blonde hanging on her arm as she begged her to start partying.

"Come on!" whispered the ex-Regent from her arm. "I met you halfway for this bash, and you don't even want to _dance_? I hired the people who played the most appropriate instruments!" Minako threw up her hands. "I even specified a dress code for this down to the colors, the materials, and the inches of where the top of the dress should start below the collar bones for the women!"

"I didn't want a party," grumbled Rei.

Minako seemed to forget the argument, standing on her tiptoes, looking for something—or someone. Distractedly, she fanned herself as she glanced around the warm-feeling ballroom. "Where is Adonis?" she muttered more to herself than anyone else around her.

Rei tapped her foot impatiently, not liking the fact that the argument was forgotten so quickly. She was still there, still uncomfortable, and wanted to leave as soon as she could to start what she was trained for. The raven haired woman was so deep in thought, that she found that she was staring at a peculiar group of ragtag men that had just entered into the ballroom. She stopped fanning herself, and didn't even catch what the blonde regent was saying to her.

Tapping the regent's shoulder, she tilted her fan in the general direction of the strange group. They were off all different shapes and sizes, wearing clothing of the most garish sort—except for about two of them, who were rather lavishly dressed. In particular the tall, lithe blond man standing in the middle, who looked vaguely familiar. She could hear Minako counting under her breath, and she stopped when she reached eleven—there were eleven of these men? They moved awkwardly either because their gentleman's clothing were too small, or too big.

"Who are those people?" she asked under her breath.

Minako shrugged her pale shoulders. "Beats me," she replied back. Then she grinned. "But they seem like my type of men."

The raven haired Queen gave her a withering look. The two high ranking women decided to watch the small group, instead of calling the guards. After all they stuck out so badly that they would be easy to keep up with if they decided to cause any trouble. The majority headed to where the food and drinks were served and immediately headed for the more alcoholic beverages and heavier meats. Rei found that she quickly lost track of the blonde gentleman, but was more distracted by the person standing next to her. Minako had gone back to wondering about what had happened to one of the men of her harem.

"Will you be quiet about that man?" snapped Rei. "What is so special about this _slave_ of yours anyway?"

Minako bit the bottom of her lip, still looking out into the crowd. She yanked her eyes away to look into the violet eyes of the Queen, shrugging innocently. "He's just some man that I ran into in town one day. I was drawn to him, and he was drawn to me. I've known him for over a year now—it's so romantic!" Her eyes became distant and her feet looked as if they would float right off into the air. Rei's temper just rose as the blonde spoke about all of the lunacy.

"And you would consider marrying him?"

Minako appeared to not be listening, and finally her impatience took control. Her slippered feet floated down the stairs to the main part of the ballroom. —But not before gently grabbing Rei's elbow, and kissing her quickly, but softly. It was hard for the blonde to miss the color rising on Rei's face.

"You have nothing to be jealous of your majesty," whispered the fickle blonde, before turning on her heal, the sound of silks fluttering in the new Queen's ears.

Rei didn't know how to feel about that, her anger long forgotten.

* * *

Haruka was almost overwhelmed by all of the people around her, as they waltzed around and almost as if through her. She left her crew stunned behind her, and she began to wonder if the plan was actually going to work. The blonde sea captain soon forgot her worries as soon as a dark haired woman winked her way from over her lace and embroidered fan. Randy let her go while he rolled his eyes and leaned against one of the pillars. Few of the other men had ditched as well—either for the good ale, or the women. Haruka was already working fast, pulling a particular lady in behind the curtains which held the private balconies.

The old man tried to reason with himself that they had the time, though the sooner that they got the plan moving, the more quickly they could make a clean getaway. He looked over and noticed that Pontos was pocketing some of the silverware, and he suddenly felt like sinking. Randy leaned his weight against the column, and waited for the signal from either his captain or Proteus, who was also flirting with women—who were about half his age.

The music lulled him a bit, and he soon felt a light stupor that he normally would have gotten from the best of wines, and soon was relaxed. Randy made his way towards the seating area, along the other side of the ballroom, taking over a wonderfully overstuffed velvet couch. The dance slowly changed to something much slower, floating from piece to piece, and the people on the floor adapted accordingly. As the older man slowly began to drift off, the bright colors of the gowns ladies and the jackets of gentlemen suddenly began to meld together into something that reminded him of bright bouquets of flowers. He vaguely noted that Haruka was already with someone different.

"Would you like a glass of their finest?" asked Proteus.

Randy nearly jumped out of his skin, not realizing that he had indeed fallen asleep. Proteus slowly eased his weight into the empty space next to the second in command carrying two sparkling glasses of some amber colored liquid. Randy's mouth watered, and he reached for the glass.

"Done for the night already?" he asked before taking a sip.

The old gentleman chuckled, and shifted his weigh as he reached into his jacket pocket. Randy swallowed hard and began sputtering on the ale when he saw what Proteus had brought out. When his mind cleared of the shock, he realized it was rather artfully made. A pair of ladies panties. He realized, when the blood cleared from his ears, that gentleman was roaring with laughter, so much so that his own ale was being splattered onto the marble floor. Randy rolled his eyes, and crossed himself before taking another sip.

"I think for tonight that Captain Tenoh might actually beat me," Proteus said, as he mopped up his face with a handkerchief.

"How long have we been here?" Randy fumbled around in his own jacket for a pocket watch. He looked at the time and found that they had been there for about an hour and a half already. The old man jumped back.

Proteus read his reaction. He sat back, downing the rest of the amber liquid out of the delicate glass. "Oh, don't worry," he rumbled, already half asleep himself. "We rarely go to things like this, and I think it would be a healthy vacation away from the seas for the crew that we brought with us. Anyway, this party goes on all night long, and we have anytime during that period to move into action. Once we get all the treasure we can carry, we can party again—and this time how we are used to doing it." The old gentleman winked at Randy.

Randy, now wide awake, looked around over the edge of the couch for the scattered crew, finding the majority of the awkwardly dressed men standing together, smoking cigars as they cracked jokes. Haruka had been missing for the majority of the time, and he suddenly spotted her—wearing blue. Randy's eyes screwed up and he sat up straighter so that he could get a closer look at her. The girl knew how to get them. The old man elbowed the gentleman next to him, waking him up with a start.

"Look at our dear captain!"

They watched the blonde sea captain moving through the crowd, surrounded by some of the most distinguished women. Though when Proteus took a closer look, he noticed that she somehow looked ill at ease with so many woman around her. He looked around at all of the ladies faces, finding that they weren't at all angry—but in love or in lust, depending on how each lady defined which. They continued watching the captain as she tried to out walk them as she looked around for someone. Her face was flushed with embarrassment as some of the naval crew cheered at her as she passed the doorway. She then stopped, and appeared to be saying something to the ladies, but they didn't seem to be listening at all.

"Say," the old gentleman said slowly, "Do you think that really is our captain?"

Randy shifted around, moving up on stiff knees until he was standing, trying to get a closer look at their captain. Haruka didn't appear to be in any sort of trouble, other than the fact that she had a mob of women trailing behind her. Neither of the old men could make out what she was saying from that far across the room as they strained to catch some clues as to what was going around around the navy-men and the ladies around the blonde. The music continued playing, and the only thing that they could catch above it, was the soft sounds of people chattering around them.

"Who else could it be? It _looks_ like our captain."

"But that creature isn't acting like her," pointed out Proteus.

They both caught Pontos drunkenly staggering over to their captain, who was still trying to talk to the woman stalking her. The navy-men roared with laughter so loud that the two old men could catch some of the sounds over the music, and still Pontos was making his way towards the group. The crew member stood awkwardly in front of the blonde character, holding up a finger as he spoke theatrically. The blonde stood there, dumbfounded as she watched him speak—and that was when she exploded. The music switched to something flowery and energetic as she screamed hoarsely at everyone around her—and that was when the old gentleman finally stood up.

"I don't think that's our captain," Proteus said slowly.

Randy was about to ask what they were going to do, when someone came up behind them. Shocked, he turned around, facing a disheveled Haruka, a grin plastered onto her face. The two men spun around to face their real captain, jaws dropped.

"What's wrong with you guys—your faces look like you've seen a ghost!" she laughed.

In her hands, she carried her pair of leather shoes, as she slid around in her stockings, while in the other hand she carried what appeared to be garters. Proteus grabbed her by the shoulders and pointed her body in the direction of her twin, while Randy directed her face. Fortunately her twin was still off in a confused tirade, so she was able to see everything, while poor Pontos faced the navy-men

"Well, that's something you don't see everyday," Haruka said under her breath, as she watched the other blond, stunned. "Man looks exactly like me."

"So what do we do, my captain?" asked Proteus good humoredly, while Randy felt panicky at the new turn of events.

"I think we should go ahead and get everything moving," said Haruka slowly, who was still staring at the male look-a-like standing across the ball room. She seemed to be unable to stop looking at him, as she stuffed the assorted lacy pieces of clothing into a pocket on the inside of her jacket. "So that was where my girls went when I told them I would see them later," she muttered to no one in particular. The blonde sea captain frowned, but shook her head, as she sent her old gentleman out to gather up the crew. She fleetingly wondered if she should actually get Pontos as well—the look on his face was priceless, and part of her didn't want it to end.

Within minutes, the word was sent to all crew through whispers and pieces of parchment. The majority of the crew stayed in place, their costumes serving as a distraction, while the main three left the ball room and moved to cross the foyer. It was very fortunate that her crew members, for once, didn't fit very well with high class society. Haruka, Randy, and Proteus found the foyer mostly empty, and those that were left standing in the open area were far too distracted to notice three courtiers scurrying towards the hall opposite. Most, if not all, of the guards were posted around the ball room, and Haruka prayed to the gods that the treasury would be left vulnerable

So far, as they walked passed the lanterns and the small tables clad with bright green plants, the hall was silent. Cautiously, they moved around the corners, and the blonde peaked around it to see if it was still all clear. Her jaw dropped, dark blue eyes widening. The two men at her side, looked over, wondering why she was so shocked. Were there guards?

A silvery haired man stood by the locked door, surrounded by elaborately dressed women. All ladies of the court, it appeared. The young man had his ear to the door as he tried his hand at hacking into the high-tech lock, small tools on the floor next to him.

Before her crew could stop her, she stepped out into the open. "_HEY!_" she shouted. She stormed to the small, shocked group at the door. Embarrassed, the two old men behind her followed at her heels. Their hands were at their hips where their pistols were hidden. "That's mine, if you don't mind!"

The silvery haired man stood up, his lilac eyes observing her. He laughed, his pearly white teeth showing. "I think not." His hip stuck out to the side, as the women around him unsheathed their swords. The swords began to spark, making Randy ill at east, though the man next to him remained poised as ever. "I've been here longer than a mere night—I've been here for over a year, so I think that I call dibs on the treasure. Fair enough?"

"Hardly,"smirked the blonde sea captain. Immediately her own sword was unsheathed, and her pistol in her remaining free hand. The two men at her side began to close in towards the other thieving group.

"Oiy!"

"Gods dammit!" muttered Haruka under her breath.

Clumsily the trio turned around to face their new enemy. The silvery haired man went back to the door, hurriedly moving to unlock it, while the women around him covered his back. Down the other end of the hall was Haruka's look-a-like, his pistol loaded and cocked. Swiftly, he was moving down the hall, but as he got closer, he slowed to a stop.

"Whoa," his voice uttered. He eyed Haruka up and down, and his pistol nearly dropped out of his long fingered hands. The navy-man swallowed, and closed his mouth, his grip returning on the pistol. He raised it, planting his feet. "I want all of you to back away from the treasury. You are all under arrest."

Everyone stood still, staring dumbly at the single man, including the small group behind Haruka. The blonde sea captain was waiting for someone to sneeze—that would be all that it would take for a fight to break out. Everyone was tense, wondering who to fight who, though Haruka's money and gold was on the single man in front of them. Her signal came sooner than expected, though rather than a sneeze, it happened in laughter.

The young male at the door finally broke the lock, and finally stood to his full height. He brushed some of his hair behind his ears, the rest of it cascading around his handsome face as he roared with laughter. "Perfect. I want the Queen's star seed, and I get interrupted twice over by neanderthals. Perfect." In one swift movement, he brought out his own weapon.

Blam.

The navy-man fell backwards from the force of the bullet flying through his shoulder. He yelled in pain and shock. And that was when complete pandemonium broke loose in the narrow hall.

The sounds of metal hitting metal rang in the air. Everyone clashed, piling into each other as they tried to fight for control to the treasury room. Gun fire rang freely in the air, though they never hit their target because of how crammed it was in the small space. Windows shattered, vases broke into millions of pieces on the floor, the tables toppled. The carpet that had been running down the middle was shoved aside. There were screams and grunts as people tried to fight for access and control.

Haruka decked the silver haired man along his jaw line more out of anger than in defense, and he reeled to the floor. The young man fell to the floor and was pummeled by other bodies. Randy yanked his arm outwards, sending one of the raven haired women flying with a scream, while Proteus tried to deal with the wounded navy-man—he was far more willy than he looked. The woman that had been thrown quickly gained her balance and had unsheathed a small dagger from her boot, her silken dress torn. Haruka was thrown backwards, a woman gripping each arm as they tried to disarm her for good.

All nine of the people jam packed into the hall never realized the reinforcements coming from the opposite end of the hall. Navy-men and guards flooded into the scene, yanking everyone apart swords at the throat, or pistols at the temple. The women were finally yanked off of Haruka, and she swallowed as she tried to gain control of her temper. She was forced to her knees, like all the rest of them, just as the Queen made her way down the hall, the ex-Regent at her side. Behind them stood the richly dressed people that had been at the ball only moments before the chaos had broken out.

"Adonis?" screeched the blonde regent. She rushed forward, her heels clicking frantically against the cream-colored marble.

The man she had called Adonis was the silvery haired opponent that Haruka had decked. His jaw was already colored purple-and-red as his cheek swelled about three times its size. Haruka watched as his face filled with emotion—he truly looked as if he was ashamed at what he had done. Minako tenderly stroked his uninjured cheek as he tried to explain himself, and everyone watched, tense and frozen in that moment. Silence pressed against the air.

Then he grunted, surprised. He fell back from the force of the slap she had given him right across the face.

"You used me!"

Adonis swallowed, and crawled back to his knees. "Please. It was for your own good," he said, his voice soft as silk. "Rei is not the proper ruler of this land. Khaos is!" He shouted the last part, and the people standing behind the Queen took a step back, some gasping in shock: they had heard of the new power spreading through out the lands. It was the first time that Haruka had ever heard of this ruler, and she continued to watch the soap opera unfold in confusion.

"I wanted you as this town's head. I wanted you as its beautiful figurehead," he whispered.

Minako took several steps backwards, shaking her head as tears welled up in her blue eyes. Haruka knew that she didn't know what to think. He must have been her love before the Queen had arrived, and now to have this happen... It had to be excruciating. To choose between a ruler or a lover. He was now a traitor, and in most places, that equaled immediate death.

Adonis' head fell to the ground, hiding his face, as the guards shackled his arms. The other guards began moving in a similar fashion to their own prisoners, and Haruka struggled to come up with something to say. She glanced up at the Queen of Lieres and found that her expression was unreadable, eyes cold as she observed what was happening. The blonde sea captain looked over at Minako's love.

The young man was convulsing, shaking as if he were sobbing silently, but the short haired blonde watched, something in the pit of her stomach dropping. His head snapped up, and his guard stepped back in alarm. Adonis was screaming in pain as if from some invisible injury, his voice drowning out any noise in the hall, and everyone behind the Queen went silent, all eyes on the man. His spine was straight, wracked with pain, and Haruka moved to try and help him, but she was pinned both by chains and by her own guard who held fast.

"NOOOO!" he screamed. "PLEASE WAIT! NOOO!"

Minako moved towards him once more, but a blinding light turned everything around them white, coming from the throat of Adonis. His eyes were now alight as if filled out with bright diamonds. Minako was crawling towards him, her arms held out to embrace him—but he was no longer there. His body was absorbed by the light, and it flowed out of the window like smoke.

And then the light was gone.

The blonde regent was left on the floor sobbing. The raven haired Queen suddenly snapped into action, shouting out orders to everyone around her. The court and the rest of the ball filtered out of the hall, though none of them seemed to be able to pull their eyes away from where Adonis had once been. None of them seemed to notice that the rest of Adonis' band had disappeared with the light as well, save for the guards that had been holding them, the two rulers, as well as Haruka and her crew. The party was over.

Haruka suddenly felt her wrists slacken behind her back, the metal weight gone. She looked around her and found that the remaining three had been released as well. Slowly they all stood, though her twin had some trouble getting back up, blood seeping out of his injured shoulder.

"You will be released," Rei said, her voice cold and devoid of any emotion. "The town of Lieres thanks you for your protecting its most precious possessions. You," she continued, looking directly at the injured navy-man, "Are fired. You should have known to go by protocol, and call for the back up required to prevent such an incident from happening. You are a fool."

The guards dispersed with a wave of the Queen's hand. Haruka rubbed her wrists, agitated, as if the shackles had burned her skin. Rei waved them forward, and the sea captain obeyed, Randy and Proteus at her heels. Minako had finally gotten up, and trailed behind the group.

"I know what you were up to," Rei whispered to Haruka. "You are not to set foot in this town ever again, or there will be an immediate hanging. Understood?"

Haruka felt the color rise in her cheeks, and she swallowed hard, finding that her throat was dry. "Yes... Your majesty" She had almost said 'sir' or 'captain', but fortunately she had caught herself soon enough to not irritate the situation. The blonde sea captain was not the type to give respect easily, but somehow, she felt as such towards this _Queen Rei_. Part of her hoped that she would meet this strong and temperamental ruler again later in life (with her head still intact of course).

"Your majesty," piped up her blond twin. His voice was low, quiet, and made Haruka jump because she had forgotten that he was even there. "What of me? Where am I to go?"

The Queen stopped to turn and look at him. "For now you are to see the palace doctors to get your wound patched up. And ex-Lieutenant, after that, I wouldn't give a rat's ass. For all I care, you may follow this pirate crew."

The navy-man winced at his new rank title. His face was drained of any color either from the shock of the wound and losing so much blood, or being fired from the navy and losing his rank. Every once in a while, while the raven haired woman spoke to him, he glanced at Haruka, his look a cross between that of a murderous man of vengeance, and that of curiosity and shock.

Haruka politely raised her hand to speak, but the blond man looked over, glowering at her. "You shut up. I do not want to hear you speak—you have ruined me."

"Ouranös stop your whining," said the Queen as she continued to move down the hall. Her voice almost sounded light hearted. "For all you know, this might be something that is constructive for your life. Take it as a learning experience."

Now Haruka had a name for her twin.

* * *

Haruka returned to the palace one last time the following day. The Queen had curtly allowed her to do so. She came to the sick bay with two guards on either side of her, which she thought was overkill. She decided that it would be prudent to humor the royalty. The sun was bright and the winds were strong, the perfect day for setting sail. The blonde sea captain hoped that the visit would be short and sweet.

The room was wide and open, beds set on either side of the unpainted, unpolished stone walls. The curtains were opened, the cool wind floating throughout the room. So far the room was empty, save for a single man sitting sulkily in one of the small, comfortable beds. Held in the man's long fingers was a piece of parchment, probably the news. Aids fluttered about the room, making sure the emptied beds were straightened, the plants were watered, and the bowls filled with clean water. Haruka, for a moment, was tempted to strike up a conversation with one of them.

Her guards stopped at the doorway, and she was allowed to move into the room quietly. Her steps were silent and measured, like always, and she came to a stop in front of Ouranös' bed. Haruka settled on the bed opposite, and watched him as he read for a while, still amazed that he looked so much like her, even down to the set jaw line. Well, save for a few major factors such as the fact that he could go waltzing around without a shirt, as he was doing at that moment. One of his shoulders was bandaged with fresh white cloth, and the blonde sea captain snickered.

"I apologize," Haruka began, wiping the smile from her face—the blond man jumped in shock, eyes raising to meet hers, "For causing such trouble." She knew that she didn't need to apologize, from her view, it _was_ his own fault for going into combat without any men at his side. The blonde sea captain held out a hand. "And I would like to invite you aboard my ship as a symbol of my apologies."

The blond man's mouth was slightly ajar, and when he realized that it was open, he closed it. He took in a couple of deep breaths. "I would like to decline—"

"Just let us transport you to where ever you would like, and after that, you will be on your marry way? Truce?" Haruka raised an eyebrow. "And your Queen did point out that this might be an experience for you."

Her hand was still in the air, and Ouranös looked from her hand to her face. He opened and closed his mouth a couple of times as he tried to come up with something to say. The blond man brought up his own hand, but hesitated. "Just take me to Elysia. No farther, and I'll find work from there."

The ex-leutinent cringed inwardly at the prospect of starting life over. Lieres and her ships were the only homes he had known, and his family came from a long line of navy-men He shoved the dark thoughts to the back of his mind, still unwilling to see his suddenly changed life as real instead of a hallucination. He stared at the woman, and suddenly he felt compelled to trust her—even if she looked eerily like himself.

They shook hands.

"Oooof!" he breathed in sharply.

The blonde sea captain yanked him up by the hand that they used to shake with, a large, child-like grin on her face.

"Let us go!" Haruka said, waving him forward, despite the fact that he was stiff on his two legs. "Our ship awaits us, and the seas call to us." She paused for a moment to look back over at Ouranös. "You wouldn't happen to have any women's undergarments would you?"

Ouranös paled. "How do you mean?" he asked slowly.

Haruka shook her head. "No reason at all. There is a game that a few close friends of mine like to play while playing a game of cards." As they began to walk down the wide stairs, she began explaining the most ludicrous rules to the most ludicrous game. The blond man only caught something like, "Oh you know three garters equals one pair of panties, simple as that. Whoever has the most..." before he couldn't stand it any longer. He should have known better than to shake hands with a pirate, no matter how dignified, charming, and charismatic this woman was. What was he getting himself into?

The blonde sea captain paused at the bottom of the stairs, and looked at him with her face turned to the side. "Oh, Ouranös? You don't happen to know how to navigate, do you? We are in great need of having someone who knows how to go by the stars—we'd be willing to give equal pay..."

* * *

Rei slowly brushed the long blonde hair of Minako. The newly crowned Queen sat at her throne of gold, Minako sitting silently on the floor, her eyes half closed. The raven haired woman was worried for her friend, the normally energetic and fickle regent silent and brooding. How close had she been to this Adonis?

"You know, I thought I knew how to read people," began the blonde. "I thought, actually, that there wasn't much to people, that all they needed in life were things to make them happy. Betrayal happened by unhappy people. No evil. Now that whole ideal doesn't seem to make much sense, now does it?"

It was the first time that she had spoken for days. Rei straightened up, but continued to comb her hair. Minako continued, playing with a piece of lace at the edge of her dress. She waved away one of the servants when he stepped up to offer them some fruit.

"It didn't even matter that I was wrong about him. It was the fact that he could have hurt you. And whatever had taken, or killed him even, could have killed or taken you." The ex-regent looked up at the Queen.

Rei kept her face blank, her throat empty of any words for her to respond slowly stood, her face pale, and beneath he eyes were gray from sleeplessness. She hovered over the Queen and the raven haired woman gently grabbed her wrists.

"Minako, you are tired," she said, her voice quiet. "And what matters is that he didn't get to anything in the treasury. And whoever was behind it will_ not_ get to it either."

Minako stood above her, watching her. "I think that this will not be the only time that we hear of this _Khaos_, my Queen."

* * *

**Thank you so much for your reviews Petiyaka and Lilgirl! :3**


	7. Act Five

**Act Five: The Inventor of Lightening and The Shitennou**

"Ever since Ouranös had boarded the ship, he never left. He meant to, but the pay as well as the adventure was too enticing."

"Or maybe he found a good family," Michiru suggested, her eyes half shut. Haruka shrugged it off, and there was an awkward silence."So what did this story have to do with the adventure that you just got back from?" the aqua haired maiden prompted, as she rested her head on her hand.

The pub had hit a lull, switching from the late, late evening, to early twilight. Even though she knew that the night was still young for the pirate, Haruka looked exhausted. The aqua haired woman knew better than to point it out, knowing that the blonde would still stubbornly go on with her tale.

"Well, had I known better, it would have warned me of all that I would be going through with the star seed," said Haruka flatly. Despite her condition when she first came in, and looking so spent currently, a light seemed to strike her eyes as she continued to speak. The blonde sea captain moved about, stretching sore back muscles, before settling her upper body on the table. She breathed in a couple of times before talking again. "Well, Setsuna, the Queen of Scorpus, had given me more clues to look for the next item. She hoped that this time around I would not be resorting to stealing, but things have a tendency of switching hands, especially when it's something of high value."

"The only thing that she had given me this time were coordinates—admittedly it was more than she had given me last time, but still a bit on the vague side."

* * *

The seas were in a choppy mood around midday, Haruka had found herself in an unusual part of the globe—new territory to her. Ouranös consulted all of his maps, helping to guide the frustrated sea captain. The crew looked all around them when they dropped the anchor into the sea—a new anchor that Scorpus had gladly replaced after the star seed incident. The coordinates that were given to Haruka seemed to be faulty—at least according to her first in command.

It was quiet out save for the sound of the wind and the ocean. Ouranös pursed his lips, resting his upper body on the wooden railing. "Are you sure she said that what she wanted was supposed to be here?"

Haruka looked out into the distance, hoping to see an island—something—somewhere close by, but to no avail. "Those were the coordinates that Setsuna gave me," she said, her voice sounding weak even in her ears. She suddenly felt like a fool, even though she never had a reason to distrust the Scorpus Queen. The blonde looked over at her twin counterpart. "Are you sure that we're in the right place?"

The lithe blond man looked over at her, rolling his eyes. _You doubt me?_ his look said. Instead of carrying a pocket watch, he carried a compass, and showed her the face of it. He unrolled a well loved map, and showed her that as well. "I can pull out the whole astrolabe if you wish. But it'll tell you the same thing: we are exactly where the coordinates that you gave me are."

She looked over at Randy and Proteus. "Do not let this get out to the crew," she told all three of the men. "We'll stay here for a few hours' time as a break, and then lift the anchor and move on."

"To where?" prompted her first in command with a raised eyebrow.

Haruka hated to admit it to herself, but he was right—where would they go next? Then she glanced over at him. "We'll see when we lift the anchor, now won't we?" she said, her voice sounding deceptively easy and light, when on the inside she was screaming in panic.

Even though the seas were choppy, the sky was a light blue, and the clouds were puffy and white, giving them an ideal shade from the harsh sun. As her men brought out the barrels, both full and empty, she stayed around the railing, straining her eyes looking for that small island that would bring another clue to that doll that Setsuna wanted so much. But there was none. Around her, her men continued to play cards, drinking the ale from some of the more full barrels, and eating the bread that would soon mold or go stale.

Ouranös came up behind her, peeling a bright orange between his fingers, dropping the skins on the deck as he stood silently next to her. She could smell the tart, tropical fruit as he began to eat it, wedge by wedge. The sea captain looked over at him, momentarily forgetting her own gloom.

"Is there any reason why you're always eating those when we're out at sea?"

Ouranös smacked his lips a couple of times as his face began to twist up from a particularly sour piece of orange. "Our doctor from my old ship said that things like oranges prevented scurvy. Forced fruit down our throats, and if we didn't, he gave us a good helping of the guilt trip to get us to. The captain became paranoid, and started bringing along dried fruits along the longer voyages." He shrugged. "Kind of a habit that I cropped up. Though it seems to work because I've never had the sickness."

The lithe man held up the orange to his captain. "Want a piece? I need to hurry up and eat what I have stashed before it goes bad."

Haruka obliged him and took what was left from him, pulling apart her own wedge before handing it back to him. She popped it into her mouth, and bit it down. It's tart flavor flooded into her cheeks as she thought to herself, a silence falling between the two. She found that she had been staring at the cloud above them, and snapped herself back to reality. "I suppose I should get my crew to start eating them as well then?" She glanced over at her first in command. She turned back to look at the cloud.

Ouranös shrugged, distracted as well. He followed her line of sight, wondering what she had been looking at while they were talking. They both focused on the cloud. It was unmoving, unlike the rest of them, the bottom of them a dark gray in color. He almost wanted to reach up and try to touch it because it seemed so low to them.

Blue light webbed out, and within a millisecond, it blinked right out. Haruka turned her head to the side, not once pulling her eyes from it. The blue light flashed again, white and blue.

"Lightening?" she mumbled.

In the corner of her eye, she noticed that Ouranös looked just as confused. The silence around them felt even more intense around them as they watched the strange, foreign cloud. The sea continued to hit restlessly against the small sloop, her men continuing in relaxing a bit. It was too quiet. The wind ruffled her hair, the hairs on her arms and the back of her neck stood on end, as the cloud snapped into action again. Blue lightening fluttered, starting from the center, and rippling to the outside, before disappearing once more.

"Move," she found herself saying, her heart beginning to hammer as it warned her that something was going to happen.

Ouranös turned away from looking at the cloud, to look at his numbed captain. "What?"

The blonde young woman suddenly came to life, her body buzzing with energy. "MOVE!" she shouted at him, grabbing his shoulders and yanking them both away from the railing. Her dark blue eyes scared him, a bruise already forming at his upper arm. His hair was standing up on end, but he didn't' seem to notice all this, eyes right on the spot where they had both stood moment's earlier.

Lightening struck down into the ship within the blink of the eye. The railing exploded, sending splinters in all directions. The crew went silent, confused—they had all seen the spark of electricity. Some stood up, alarmed, with hands on their swords or pistols. All of the crew at that moment were thinking the same thing: it didn't make one bit of sense. The sun still shown in the skies, peaking through another cloud, though it moved like any other cloud. It was the one that remained stationary above them that confused them all.

Haruka stood, deafened by the sound of electricity striking so close to them. The only thing that she could hear, was the high pitched whistling coming from her ears, as she kept both eyes on the cloud.

It struck again!

This time lightening hit the center of the ship, leaving a black smudge mark as it disappeared, the sound of it booming around them. The crew scattered, snapping into action, reaching to pull the anchor out of the sea, or pulling the sail up so that it could catch some wind. Others went below deck, and Haruka ran for the helm where the wheel was.

The cloud struck again, and a man screamed in pain. Her eyes searched, and found one of her crew fallen right on deck, blood oozing from his face, and his skin burned. The men who had set out towards the anchor gave her the signal, and she turned towards the men who had headed out towards the sails. They were still pulling the thick ropes into place, the sail waving about wildly, as they scrambled in a mad panic. The blonde sea captain's eyes darted back up to the cloud, feeling like a sitting duck: it was as if the thing was alive and targeting!

_BLAM!_

Haruka was thrown away from the captain's wheel, the wind being knocked out of her as the lightening exploded in front of her. She hit the wood of the ship, tumbling down the small flight of stairs. Pain seared from her cheek bone and her arm, she was deaf from the thunder, and now blinded from the bright, sudden flash. Even though the blonde was so wholly helpless, she could feel the vibrations from the ground, her men still working to get them away from the live cloud—but she still struggled to right herself.

Her hearing began to clear up, and she could hear her men yelling, many of them screaming from either pain or panic. Everything was white around her, though things began to take shape. Another figure was on the ground right next to her, and she knew that it was Ouranös. Her heart was in her throat, and she could hear it above everything else around her. Soon she was able to discern who was who running around on the deck—Randy was hobbling, blood dripping from his face because of the splinters from the explosions.

Soon, what was left of the uninjured stopped, all looking up at the cloud. Haruka rolled over so that she could look up at their inanimate enemy. The vapors of the cloud slowly began to clear, and she watched, confused and dumb, as ropes began to drop from it.

"A ship?" she whispered.

Indeed, the cloud showed the hard surface of the hull of a ship. How it stayed up in the air like that, was a mystery to Haruka—it was magic for all she cared. All she knew was that this ship had so clearly beaten hers, and without once showing themselves.

Her mind began to darken, but she struggled to stay conscience long enough to see the faces of her enemy. Men, or so she assumed, moved swiftly down the ropes, one calling for the attention of her crew and their unconditional surrender. Of course they had to: there was no one conscience enough to send out any orders. Swords and pistols thudded to the ground, sending vibrations up to the blonde pirate's body.

The rope nearest to her began to move as someone's weight pulled down on it. A blur. A shadow, moved down, her mind continuing to darken—but she screamed in her mind to stay awake long enough to see... She blinked rapidly, and she could see the bottom of the person's brown leather boot. It was high heeled, heavy, and rich. _ The ship's captain_, she thought deliriously. Her head yelled as vibrations were sent to it, when the leather boots touched the deck of her ship.

Haruka felt the presence of the person, a shadow. Before she was gone, she saw bright green eyes, and she almost thought it was Titania, though she remembered that the woman had hazel eyes, not green...

* * *

The light was warm all around her, almost candle light. Cradling her body was something that felt like a pure, silky cloud. Slowly, Haruka came to, though she kept her eyes shut as she took in her surroundings. Even though her body and instincts felt completely safe where she was, her mind took over and made sure what everything told her was correct.

She found that she was in a small room, laying on a futon against the wall. Hanging from the ceiling at different lengths were lanterns—the soft orange glowing that she had seen behind her eyelids. At the wall facing her feet was a latch leading out into the hall she assumed, and above her head, when she felt like she was alone enough to look up, were small circular windows. It was dark outside because of how thick the clouds were.

The blonde pirate heard the latch being unlocked, and quickly she settled into the same position, closing her eyes just enough to look like she was still sleeping, but while she could still see who was coming in. Instead of one person, it was two—and to her chagrin, it was two women. One was a brunette, her hair tied into a high ponytail; while the other had her hair cut short, framing her face, wisps of dark blue. She moved her eyes downwards, and felt her heart jolt to a stop, seeing the brown leather, high heeled boots that she had seen before she had lost conscientiousness.

"I don't think that it was a good idea attacking them like that," said the smaller blue haired woman, her voice soft. She put a curled index finger to her chin, looking worried. "And kidnapping their captain wasn't that intelligent of a move either, Makoto..."

"I didn't _kidnap_ her Mizuno. I told the crew that I would return her unharmed as soon as we were done talking." Haruka saw the brunette glance over at her 'sleeping' figure. "That is if she ever wakes up."

"Then why the attack on her ship—her crew, herself included, are not going to take too kindly about that move."

"I like to cut all the bullshit." She paused for a moment, thinking. "Plus we needed to test our new weapon to see if it actually worked." The tone of her voice was unexpected. She didn't sound at all like every other pirate that Haruka had come across, greedy and arrogant, but someone who wanted to protect the life and well being of her own crew and ship—perhaps even a cause greater than that. "And if it meant testing it on our rendezvous, then so be it."

Mizuno looked as if she was about to say something in rebuttal, but Makoto raised a finger, silencing her. "I don't trust anyone, no matter how much someone says that they're reliable. I only trust the crew and the people that I protect."

Haruka suddenly sat up, her eyes cold as she faced Makoto. "So you can see why I'm royally pissed that you attacked my ship. It doesn't help your case when you target practiced my ship, then drag me off to talk to me over tea. Kind of threatened _my_ trust a bit, don't you think?"

At first the brunette captain was tense, surprised that their visitor was wide awake so quickly, then her shoulders relaxed, a sort of faint smile on her face. Behind her Mizuno looked worried, and even guilty as she observed the blonde sitting on the edge of the futon. She knew she was standing in a room with two rather large and charismatic personalities. It was as if two gods were in the arena, flexing their muscles before attacking if everything went wrong. She rolled a term in her mind almost humored by it if it weren't for the situation: _Clash of the Titans_.

Makoto ignored what she said, and instead she replied through half shut eyes, "Welcome to my ship, the_ Io's Argus_. It's a Sungrazer-class ship—a kind of battle cruiser that my friend Ami has ramped up." She indicated the blue haired woman who still stood behind her.

"What country is this ship from?" Haruka almost ordered her.

"I'm not at liberty to say. Though I'm almost surprised that you don't know with as much running around as you do."

Before Haruka could come up with anything crushing to say to the other woman, Makoto waved her hand, heading towards the still opened hatch. "Since you seem to be more than well now, I think we should take our business to a more larger and comfortable room—my quarters, if you don't mind. Your first in command will also join you."

The blonde sea captain had to put in a conscience effort to not drop her jaw. "He's here?"

Makoto looked over her shoulder, a smile touching her lips—immediately looking years younger, almost like an innocent child. She rolled her eyes. "Of course—and he wouldn't let us forget it. He insisted on coming with you, but he was escorted to a guarded room so you two wouldn't get into trouble and try to escape. I told him that we would get him when the time arose. Needless to say, he wasn't at all happy about it."

_No, I would not think so_, thought Haruka sarcastically.

The blonde sea captain followed Makoto and Ami out through the hatch, finding herself in a narrow hall like she had suspected. Though what threw her off about the ship, was the fact that it didn't look like the under deck of any other ship: instead of being made of wood, it was made of some sort of amber and cream metal, well polished. As the small group moved down the hall, she saw hatches closed and locked about every four feet, crew moving in and out of them. The ceiling was low and curved, lit by what she guessed was electricity.

Even though the metal ground below her feet felt so solid, she knew that they must be floating somehow in the air—the ship well camouflaged by the cloud. The passageway finally opened up a bit as they came towards the end of it, a large hatch barring their way. Where the captain's quarters had to be.

"Our helm is located in the upper decks. Despite it being a sort of air ship, it still works just the same. Above this one is the actual gathering area for my crew, the mess hall, things like that. Below this deck is storage," informed Makoto as she searched for her key on a large and heavy keyring hung on her belt. When she found the large amber key, she unlocked the latch and it gave way with a loud click as the lock moved out of place.

All three women entered into Makoto's quarters, and that was when the rather cramped ship finally opened up. Even though it was spacious, the room was still crowded with all sorts of objects.

Towards the left, where there was a large window overlooking the floating clouds, were stacks and stacks of books. Volumes cradled by leather with flecks of gold printed on them, identifying what they were. Haruka could smell the dust and paper of the large volumes and immediately felt at home. The floor was covered with tapestries, flashes of color warmed by the orange and yellow lighting glowing from the ceiling. When Haruka finally pulled her eyes from the old volumes, she was immediately drawn to the floor, catching stories from all over the globe—even from places she had never been to—brightly colored and elaborately stitched.

The walls were decorated with the inner workings of the _Io's Argus_, amber and copper pipes winding from floor to ceiling. A clockwork gadget ticked away the time from the far corner right next to a daybed, which was covered with thick red and gold blankets, and pillows thrown about it.

The center was covered with more gears and cogs, wires and small bits of pipes. Off to the side was a round, heavy oak table, with chairs covered with red velvet at the seat. Even though it was a dinner table, it was covered with maps instead, and golden navigator's tools. Chipped tea cups dotted the surface, and water ring patterns where they had stood too long and too hot.

"Captain!" shouted a voice, loud enough to make the blonde jump. The voice yanked her out of the mood of the room. All three women turned around to see a petite, curvacious woman, skirts flying as she ran down the narrow hall towards them. She came to a sudden halt, and bent over, hands on her knees as she caught her breath. Then she stood up, her posture straight and correct, puppy brown eyes piercing. "I am against you on moving my patient," she said tersely to Makoto.

"_Your_ patient?" both captains said out loud, confused. Then Makoto's eyes brightened, and glanced at Haruka before speaking to the petite woman. "Thebe, as you can see, your patient is in fine working order, and doesn't appear to have any injuries."

She ushered them into her quarters, towards the unkempt table. The brunette captain settled herself at the head of the table, and took a sip of tea before frowning at it. She placed it back down onto the table. Haruka took her seat next to her, Thebe moving over her like a worried mother hen, while Ami took her chair across from her, looking between the two captains. Thebe continued checking the blonde woman's pulse, holding her wrist gently as she counted under her breath, her other soft hand at the woman's forehead for her temperature. Makoto waited patiently for the brown-eyed doctor to do her duties before beginning.

"Do you have any ringing in your ears? Do you ache anywhere? How's your vision? Your hearing?" Thebe asked softly, her eyes so fierce, that Haruka knew that if she tried to lie, the woman would see right through her and nail her for it. Haruka shook her head every time, checking all of her senses. Even though the blonde sea captain was telling the truth, the doctor looked at her in the eyes, trying to find out if there was any minute thing wrong with her.

Haruka slowly slid an arm behind Thebe, a smile touching her lips. "Don't worry—I am perfectly fine." Her hand slid down to the woman's round rump, giving it a firm squeeze. Thebe jumped at the action, color rising to her cheeks. She pulled away, giving Haruka a sly smile, before turning and nodding to her captain and leaving the room—but not before giving Haruka one last look.

Makoto laughed. "You haven't been awake on my ship for more than twenty minutes, and you're already hitting on some of my crew!" She continued to giggle, as Haruka shrugged, unabashed. Ami stayed silent, her cheek resting against her hand. She shook her head and rolled her eyes at the two, before pulling out a book and opening it wide enough to make its old spine crack.

A few moments later, Ouranös walked in, and behind him was a large, tanned, muscled man. Though he was middle aged, his beard was white, stopping just at his collar bone, and had a sort of smug smile on his face, even though nothing had happened. Just as Haruka thought that, the burly man gave the lithe blond man a shove right into his shoulder. Ouranös sneered and made sure to move away from the man, taking his own seat next to Haruka.

"Ahh, Jova, how is it going?" asked Makoto lightly. The man clamped a large hand over her shoulder, greeting the captain of the clouds. "And I'd be nice to anyone of this crew," she added, indicating both Haruka and her first in command.

"How are you doing?" Haruka asked, her voice low, but polite.

The look on the blond man's face said everything: his eyes were dark and the corner of his lips twitched with fury—either at the whole incident or at Jove. "Fine," he answered instead, though it came out as more of a snarl than a happy reply. He crossed his arms over his chest, kicking his feet up onto the table. Haruka didn't say anything about his manners, knowing that he was going to do anything to irritate the captain who had attacked them so ruthlessly.

"I want to slit that man's throat," he added, though his voice was so low that only Haruka could hear him. Her own lips twitched as she restrained a laugh at his ill humor.

"Jova here," Makoto introduced the large man as he sat a few chairs down, "Is the ship's second in command—" Haruka could see the points of contention between Ouranös and the cloud captain's first in command. Two dogs barking at each other and testing their limits. A dominance test. "He's also a very good body guard, even though I keep insisting that I can defend myself," she grinned at him as he rolled his eyes. "But he seems to know better than I do. In case, if the need arises, there is also my navigator, as well as the third in command of the ship, Ganymede."

In the corner of Haruka's eye, she noticed Ouranös chest just slightly puff out. He had one up on the large man sitting near the other end of the table. She turned her attention back to the ship's captain, who sighed, and stretched out her hands in front of her.

"Now," Makoto began slowly, "Might I ask why you were around my territory?" It seemed to be an innocent enough question, but Haruka knew better than that. The brunette knew something and was waiting to hear the right answer before going any further with her business.

"These coordinates were given to me by a very close friend of mine." Haruka paused, wondering how much of her hand she should reveal to a stranger who was ruthless enough to attack a ship without any warning. "She wanted me to retrieve something for her. And I take it, because I ended up in the middle of the sea, instead of on the coast of some foreign land, that I was somehow supposed to meet with you." She looked up from her own long fingers to Makoto, her eyes hiding any emotion that would show weakness.

Makoto turned her head to the side. "Who was this dear friend of yours that gave you those coordinates, may I ask?" Even though the request was kind enough, Haruka knew that if she didn't say anything, the brunette captain would order her to say it.

"She is the Queen of Scorpus, I don't know if you've heard of the island—" Makoto waved a hand impatiently.

"I know where this place is, and I am familiar with the ruler as well." The woman folded her hands in her lap. "My Queen is well acquainted with her, and is close friends with her, so I don't think you are a threat if what you say is true."

"Your Queen? Who is she?" asked Haruka. She waved her own hand lightheartedly. "After all, it's only fair that you tell me after I've told you who I've been hired by."

"You haven't been hired by her," corrected Makoto, seeing right through the blonde sea captain. "You do these missions for her voluntarily—and without any profit, if what I've heard is correct."

"I wonder who gave you that information," Haruka muttered under her breath. It was frustrating that this brunette captain of the clouds knew so much of her, and yet the blonde knew so little in turn.

Makoto smiled innocently. "I know a few people here and there—mainly from Elysia. Information has a sort of trickling effect over there." Haruka knew that was very true. The brunette breathed in again. "Anyway, you will find out who my boss happens to be in good time, but I don't think I'm the one to tell you. I am actually deeply sorry for being so infuriating." She waved her hand. "Go on—what was it she wanted from me?"

"Here's the confusing part—she mentioned a doll. She wanted a doll. Though she said that she wasn't sure if it was in one piece, or that it would be done on time—she seemed deeply worried about that one factor."

Ami looked up from her reading to look at her captain, her eyes surprised, then worry seeped into them. Makoto nodded her head at her, and the blue haired woman turned to look at Haruka.

"We had found pieces of what looked like a human sized doll quite a few months ago. True, the hands and feet, and so on, felt like porcelain to the touch, but there was something strange about these body pieces. Inside of these pieces were a network of gears and cogs, wire connecting them together so that the electric current could flow smoothly..." She stopped, when Makoto shook her head—it was too much unneeded information.

"I believe it _is_ important my captain," Ami said, an annoyed tone subtly showing through her calm voice. " When I put just enough electric current—it wasn't all that much, mind you—the fingers were able to move individually. However I could not control which one. At that time, we had only found one hand and one foot.

"Makoto, like you it seems, started going on these profitless missions of her own accord, to find more parts. It was hard going at first, and we only had rumors at first, things that sounded like myth. Eventually we started asking people of high rank because these pieces were not cheap to make. We started making progress, finding pieces here and there in private collections as art work or rare technology. Soon my captain seemed be satisfied enough to report it to our Queen—and our Queen wanted us to continue searching!

"I was hired to stay on board, though this time for a different reason: I was to put together this doll, as we called it. Before I was training her navigator on some of the tech that I had helped to make for the kingdom's military, and putting together the doll had become some sort of hobby. I didn't mind, but it was such a strange request—"

Makoto raised a hand, and stood. "Here, we will show you what we have, and what comes next in her tale will make a whole lot of sense."

Ami nodded, though her mouth was slightly opened, her mind still back in time at the memory she was explaining. Everyone at the table stood, and the brunette captain led them out of her quarters and back into the narrow passageway. They moved silently, the sound of clothing shuffling in Haruka's ears. Something in the pit of her stomach dropped, though she felt excited at the feeling.

Makoto turned to look over her shoulder. "We are actually heading towards the front of the ship, my quarters are located in the back because of the size," she explained as they continued on. "We will be heading to the bottom deck where we have our _doll_ hidden. None of my crew knows about it, as I'm sure your own crew doesn't know of your secret side missions." She winked, her eyes understanding as she looked back at Haruka.

Haruka still wasn't sure of what she thought of this cloud captain. All the information had sent her brain into overload—needless to say that she would have a lot to think about tonight. And she was sure that Ouranös would have a lot to say once they were alone as well. She snapped her attention back to the present when she realized that the small blue haired woman had started talking again.

"Slowly the doll began to take its shape, but we could no longer find anymore pieces. We only had one full leg, an arm, part of a torso, and another hand put together. There should have been more pieces..."

They came to a stairwell, twisting downwards to the bottom deck. The lights were dimmer here, because so few of Makoto's crew were down there at any given time, save for whenever they landed to pick up or drop off what they carried. There seemed to be two different conversations going on at once: Ami's strange tale, and then Makoto showing them around the ship. Haruka didn't mind, because the more that Ami explained the doll, the more worried she became—had she finally bitten off more than she could chew?

"So you are not a privateer?" asked Haruka.

"What?" Makoto asked, distracted, as her feet reached the floor of the third level of the ship. "Oh no, we're not. We work for the Queen's navy, but we're much higher than that—we get orders and missions directly from her mouth. Most of the work we do is at the ignorance of her people. Kind of like a secret service." She laughed at the term.

"Most of the time we don't do any fighting, and strange, secret hunting for doll parts—we do ambassadorial type things, guard her lands. Things like that."

The space at the bottom most deck was open, much like Haruka's storage deck was—though much more expansive. Boxes and crates of all different sizes were stacked on top of each other, reaching all the way to a ceiling that disappeared into the darkness. Lining the outer walls were electrical lanterns, spotted here and there, giving just enough light to see what was in the room. Haruka noted to herself that they were again moving towards the back of the ship, passed rows and rows of crates.

The sound of steam and creaking metal echoed around them. Other than that the room was silent, save for their even footsteps, as their booted feet hit the metal flooring. Soon they came to the doorway of a smaller room. There Makoto clapped her hands, a light coming out at the sound. In front of them was a box the size of a person—an eerie feeling crept up the blonde's spine, and she closed her mouth when she realized that it was open. Ami had told them that the doll's pieces was human sized.

The short blue haired woman began to speak once more. "Then we found something else. Our mission carried us to the tip of the earth, where the stars hardly move and the sun rarely shines. We came to this sort of temple that the locals had built, and they led us in. And we found the rest of the doll," Ami finished lamely.

As if on cue, Makoto began to unlock the box, lifting up the top without any help. Ouranös and his captain jumped back, gasping with shock. The remaining three people stood calmly where they were, completely used to seeing what the two strangers had seen for the first time. In the box was indeed a doll—what appeared to be _mostly_ a doll anyway. The porcelain parts were elaborately carved, with intertwining vines, and the joints were hooked together with cogs and wires that were intertwined artfully.

Haruka's eyes followed up the vines, and they suddenly stopped, though the porcelain color never stopped. She realized that the one last remaining part of the doll—was human. It was a human girl, and she looked as if she was asleep, but Haruka knew better: she had to be dead. The real parts of her body were covered from her collar bone down, at least until her thighs began. Her hair was dark, raven black, her lips small and round, her body frail—what was left of it.

"It's a girl," Haruka said dumbly, her voice hoarse in her throat.

"But that's what we found," Makoto finished for Ami. "We were actually on our way to deliver her to the Queen. So far we don't know who she is or where she came from."

Haruka couldn't pull her eyes away from her, feeling both warmed and eerie: after all it _was _a corpse of a child with a half prosthetic body. "Is there anyway that you could send a message to your Queen that I must take this child and deliver it to mine? I suppose that Setsuna plans on giving this girl a proper burial."

"I can do better than that," the lightening captain said with a wry grin on her face. She closed the lid with a snap, re-locking it with one of her many keys. "Come, follow me, and I'll introduce you to my helm."

* * *

As they walked to the uppermost deck, Haruka found that they were still sheltered. Ouranös and Ami seemed like they were deep in their own conversation. As the blonde captain watched them, Ami pointed out different gadgets here and there, scattered all over the ship, explaining how they worked and what their importance was. When they got the the helm, the lithe man's eyes lit up, his mouth opened into an "O" shape.

Two other crew members helped to man the helm, covered with glittering buttons, levers—but most importantly, the captain's wheel. A tall, lanky man stood there, his wispy brown hair tied into a knot and trailing down his back. When the young man felt a presence behind him, he turned around to greet them all. His eyes were bright gray, and the lightening captain introduced him as her navigator, Ganymede

Haruka noticed some kind of common uniform amongst the crew around the area when she took a few seconds to look about her, something she hadn't noticed of the ship—of course it made sense that Makoto's crew would be wearing uniforms since she worked for some Queen as a lapdog.

The remaining nameless crew left the room with a slight bow of the head towards Makoto before leaving. She closed the hatch, and Makoto showed the two from the _Iphis_ around the helm. Haruka found that she too as fascinated like her first in command, watching the brunette and the blue haired woman point to different buttons, which stood for things like the pressure in the pipes, communication to other rooms, and the direction of the propeller.

"It's an airship, of course," explained Makoto, "So this ship doesn't necessarily run by sails—but by a kind of balloon, right above the main part of the ship. Inside the balloon is a kind of hot air, that's lighter than air—"

"Wait, air that's lighter than air?" interrupted Ouranös. He was still looking down at the console that shimmered out in front of him. Buttons were framed by an amber metal, and the blond man was hypnotized by all that was around him.

Ami laughed, her eyes closed in delight. "Yes, have you never heard of something like that?"

"I mean our ships were pretty advanced—I mean back when I was part of my own ruler's navy..." His eyes looked down, looking passed the controls, then he snapped back, looking up at the blue haired woman. "They used electricity and some models were even able to run without the aid of sails. The ships still ran on water though—nothing so off the wall as moving in the air, and being able to harness electricity as a weapon."

"Anything's possible if you can put it together," Ganymede said, waving to the captain's wheel. Haruka saw Jova rolling his eyes, his arms crossed over his chest—technology wasn't his type of thing. A man meant more for defense and battlefield. Of course a guarding position worked just as well.

Makoto had her back turned away from them as she began a strange series of tapping on some strange object. It was black, and welded right into the console, and each time its beak hit the surface, it would hum for a split moment before rising back into the air, silent, until the captain tapped it again. Her legs crossed over each other, as her fingers moved, her eyebrows furrowed in concentration. She waited, and the beaked machine stood silent.

As Ganymede, Ami, and Ouranös continued to talk about technology (slowly moving over to navigation of course), Haruka watched the gadget, unable to pull her eyes away—what did it do? Suddenly, the little machine snapped into action of its own accord, Haruka jumping in surprise because she had been watching it so intently. In a similar sort of language, it spoke back to Makoto, who was then writing on a piece of fresh parchment, slowly and almost to the same rhythm of the strange object. It paused again, but not for long, and worked even more furiously.

When Makoto was finished, she straightened up, turning around as she read over the bit of paper. Her lips moved slightly as she read, and Haruka slowly began to put together what the black gadget with the beak did. But she waited patiently, listening almost contentedly to her first in command enjoy himself for the first time in a long while.

"This is my telegraph," Makoto finally explained, folding up the parchment and placing it in one of the pockets of her jacket. "Through an electrical current, I am able to send messages and get messages to and from my Queen through a series of tapping. It's kind of like learning a whole new language." She said the last part from experience, rubbing the back of her neck.

"It wasn't that hard to learn," piped up Ami, pulling her attention away from her conversation.

"Says the person with a photographic memory," growled the cloud captain playfully.

"So what did the Queen say?" prompted Haruka.

"Orders are clear—you are allowed to take possession of the doll and deliver it to your Queen. There was no debate, or any other side orders: just take the doll." The brunette looked slightly confused. "As if she knew everything that was going to happen."

"I've stopped questioning how people of higher ranks manage to know everything," Haruka answered wryly, giving her an ironic look. She paused, putting herself back to business. "So how do you suppose that we get the doll from your ship to mine?"

"I've got a series of pulleys that can lower the crate down onto your ship—how you get it below your decks is for you to figure it out." She leaned against a part of the console, gazing out of the windows. "Now I have to call up a few of my crew so they can lug it to where the system is, and our Ami can go to the controls—"

_BLAM!_

The ship shook violently, throwing everyone into the ground—though the only person that had remained standing was Jova, a man of sturdy build. Ouranös and Haruka looked at each other from across the helm, confused. The lithe man's bottom lip was bleeding, probably clipped from the control counter. All of a sudden alarms started screaming, and the calming copper color of the interior turned red, as lights began to flash in warning.

"We're being attacked," snarled the brunette captain, her eyes an electric green.

"Who are they?" asked Haruka as she staggered to her feet. She felt helpless, standing around the helm doing nothing, but she knew nothing of the controls. Makoto was just as quick on her feet, though her long arms reached out for the console, her fingers darting over button after button.

"Cannon fire," answered Jova to his captain.

Moment's later, crew rushed in to their aid, helping those on the floor back up, before going to their stations. They rushed around just as quickly as her own crew would, and everyone was once again jolted as the ship shook around violently.

Just when Haruka was about to ask again who the enemy was, Makoto finally answered by shaking her head. "I don't know who in Hades it is, though I can guess."

"We've taken damage below decks, captain," said Ganymede with a calm voice. Though when Haruka glanced at him to watch him speak, she saw the panic clear in his eyes. He turned away from her, to look at the console, his eyes moving quickly as he read something. Ganymede looked up at his captain. "Sir, the ship's name is called _Heavenly Kings_. So far they have not noticed the _Iphis_ and are continuing their attacks on our ship. '

The look on Makoto's face darkened, but she snapped into action without any hesitation. "Prepare the doll's crate into the loading station," she snapped at one of the crew, "Gather as many men as you need so it can safely be lowered onto the _Iphis_. We will counter attack this enemy ship and keep them distracted."

She then turned to Haruka, who had been watching the scene moving on around her. "You need to get back to your ship, and move out as quickly as you can."

"We need to stay and help you," insisted Haruka. "If this ship, the _Heavenly Kings_, is powerful enough to attack your ship from the air, then you need everything you can throw at them." The sea captain didn't like the idea of leaving someone behind so that she could run away like a coward.

"No!" shouted Makoto, making everyone around her jump. She stopped herself and closed her eyes before taking a couple of deep breaths. The green-eyed woman leaned some of her weight against the empty captain's chair. "No. The doll needs to get out of here, before anyone can get a hold of it, and delivered to safety. I don't know what the hell it is, I don't know where it came from. All that I know is that _Khaos_ wants it. And because you are involved now, they're your enemy as well."

Without another moment passing, Haruka and Ouranös were hurried out of the helm. Ami and Jova ran along side them, their captain left behind.

"My first in command and I can ride down along with the crate, so that we can get everything in one go, and leave," Haruka suggested, as they all shot down the staircase once they reached the other end of the ship.

Down, down they went, at a dizzying speed—at least in Ouranös' opinion. He noticed that it was his captain that set the pace. She was like the wind, and he almost struggled to keep up. He was surprised that she agreed to leaving so quickly without much debate. The blonde woman was not one to be ordered around so easily as well as the first to leave a battle. The lithe blond man wondered what she had up her sleeve.

As soon as they got to the bottom most deck, they ran to the back where the doll was kept hidden and safe. It had been moved to the open area, crew standing around it. When Haruka moved around so that she could get a closer look at what was happening, she saw a wide doorway in the floor next to the crate. Few of the men knelt down, tying ropes securely around it, before hooking it with the heavy chain that would lower it down to the ship waiting below.

The blonde sea captain felt the floor move underneath her once more, as the ship took another volley. Boxes moved around in their bindings, and everyone held fast, grabbing on chains or leaning against each other for support. When the metal floor became still, only then did the crew begin working diligently once more at getting the crate secured.

The doors in the ground were slowly opened, and Haruka could see down below her. Surrounded by the choppy ocean was her ship, waiting. The _Iphis_ was the size of her palm from that distance, and she could tell that the majority of her crew was on deck waiting for her return. Many of her own crew was leaning against the ships cannons, which looked loaded and ready at the first order by Randy who stood at the captain's wheel.

She wanted desperately to see the enemy, but the space was too small to see anything other than her ship. The sea captain felt a wave of relief, knowing that the other ship had to be at least some distance off—hopefully enough of a distance that would give them time to run if they so chose.

Finally the crate was ready, and was slowly lifted up into the air, and repositioned over the opened floor. Ouranös and his captain nodded to each other, before stepping on top of the crate, holding onto the thick chain that would lower them down. Both moved into crouching position so that they would be more secure as the crate was finally lowered towards her reliable sloop.

As the crate was moved out of the ship, Haruka was finally able to see the opposing ship, as well as the damage done to the _Io's Argus_. Even though there were still white clouds concealing most of it, darker, black clouds bled from the ship's wounds. The main part of the ship was copper, amber, and gold, highlighted with silver. Its name was wielded proudly on the side, also in silver. It was a majestic sight, even though it was slowly being picked apart by the ship diagonal from them.

The ship was a galley ship, almost identical to the one that Diamond owned, though much less elaborate and with a different color scheme. The main body of the ship was silver in color, highlighted with light blues and grays, but from that distance Haruka could not tell what friezes it was decorated with along its side: she really didn't want to get close enough to see.

Cannon fire shot upwards, and the two from the _Iphis_ could hear the whizzing of the cannon balls as they passed them. Haruka felt a nervous energy at the tips of her body, eager to get into the fight as soon as possible. The blonde woman felt like a sitting duck, and prayed to the God Poseidon that they were small enough to not be noticed by the enemy crew. She looked downwards, noticing that they were getting towards her ship at a swift rate, and stood restlessly, ready to jump when she got close enough.

Soon the crew took notice of the tiny wooden island that was making its way towards them—they swarmed around the area of where it would land, knowing that it was their captain, seeing her silken jacket fluttering out around her, as well as her second in command, still calmly kneeling. Carefully, they reached out to steady the crate, helping ease it down as the chain continued to lower its precious cargo. Haruka and Ouranös were finally able to jump off of it, and immediately the blonde captain assumed her position.

"Carry the crate below decks," she ordered a small group of five crew. Then she pointed to another, "You guys, ready the sails, and lift anchors—it's going to get really messy soon."

* * *

**AN: **

**Thank you, **Petiyaka for the review! Interesting review... KaE. I understand. I generally add a story to favs, and wait for a story to be completed. Just hope it's not boring...?


	8. Act Six

**Act Six: ****Twisting, Turning, and Changing of the Tide**

Even as she spoke, she could hear the cannon fire off to her right. Lightening boomed around the ship _Heavenly Kings_ when Makoto finally took up the offensive. Slowly, Haruka noticed the _Io's Argus_ was moving away from them, luring the large galley ship away from the small sloop—but the blonde sea captain had other ideas.

"The rest of you, prepare for battle! Aim for the ship at sea!" she pointed to more crew, her voice strong and commanding, "Begin attack maneuvers!"

Ouranös stood at her side with a grin on his face. He turned to look at her. "I take it that we're not listening to Captain Makoto's commands at all, despite the risks to the crate?"

Randy came over to them, a confused look on his face. "Why attack that ship?" he asked, he then pointed to the sky. "Isn't the ship in the sky our enemy?"

"Long story—I'll update you at a more peaceful time," Haruka said, her eyes terse and already focused on the fight at hand.

Despite the _Iphis_ being heavily outgunned, Haruka hoped that the sungrazer above them would more than make up for it. Both the galley ship and the air ship were large and slow moving—an huge advantage to Haruka's sloop, which was much smaller and faster because of its tiny, streamlined build.

The _Iphis _cut through the water, moving towards the galley ship, unnoticed because of its small size. The ship's sails were tight and curved, the wind pushing violently against it, Haruka's short hair flying out behind her. She grinned wickedly as they circled the ship, feeling as if she was flying from the speed of her ship. As the _Iphis_ turned sharply, it sent waves upward, and a volley of cannon fire hurtled from its deck. This would force _Heavenly Kings_ into a two front battle.

Cannon balls shot upwards, and immediately Haruka heard the sound of wood exploding as the Galley took direct hits. She heard the yells of crew coming from the ship, and there was even a brief pause in their attacks, while the _Io's Argus_ continued shooting lightening towards it. Smoke and fire blistered the air ship, and Haruka wondered how the cloud captain was holding up. The ship was lower, closer to the two sea ships, either on purpose or from the damages.

Ropes shot out upwards from the _Heavenly Kings_, as well as over board, even though the _Iphis _continued to circle it. Cannons from the deck of the galley had trouble aiming weapons on the sloop because it moved so quickly, as the sloop sent rounds upon rounds of cannon fire.

Fire and smoke billowed all around the scene, the smell of it stinging the blonde sea captain's nose. The air ship was moving lower and lower to the sea, crew from its deck swinging off of it on ropes towards the galley ship as they began hand to hand combat. The galley moved sluggishly towards the _Iphis_, and Randy made sure that the tiny sloop steered clear of it. The crew worked busily, loading cannons and lighting them, while others kept the sails strong.

Finally the sloop came to a dead halt at the side of the _Heavily Kings_, and her crew married the two together with long planks that reached up to the galley's deck above. The larger ship seemed to notice, sending crew to join them. Haruka unsheathed own sword, and ran upwards along one of the planks, a part of her wanting to see the main deck of the enemy ship. When she came on board, she saw chaos all around. Makoto's uniformed crew clashed swords and aimed pistols at men in silvered uniforms, while Haruka's hodge-podge crew stuck out in bright, tattered clothing.

She spotted a large man—Jova—amongst the fighting, his teeth bared gleefully, large crescent shaped sword reaping back and fourth easily as he slashed the _Heavenly Kings_ crew aside. The blonde could barely restrain the shiver that ran down her spine, thankful that he was on her side. The woman was more cautious with her own sword.

"Fancy seeing you here," a voice said at her side. She had noticed the air ship captain a few milliseconds before she spoke.

"Eh, long time no see," said the blonde, distractedly. A man groaned as she boxed him with her fist. She realized that she was back to back with Makoto.

"I thought I told you to leave, and we would be the distraction." Then the brunette said almost to herself, "I knew it would be too good to be true when a pirate captain listened so docilely to my orders..."

Haruka snickered at that: she _should have_ known better. She turned her attention back to what was happening around her. The blonde captain swung her sword in one powerful swoop, blade swinging flat against on oncoming wave of enemies. Three men fell back stunned, and another dodged her attack, daggers in both hands. She kicked him around the middle and swung for his jaw, while Makoto fought from her end, backs still touching.

Screams, gunfire, and the sound of metal hitting metal rang out in the air above the sounds of the ocean. Cannon fire still blared out from all three ships, though Haruka noticed that Makoto's crew attacked strategically towards the _Heavenly Kings_ own cannons. The airship was taking out the enemy weapons one by one.

"What in Hades?" screamed the brunette captain in shock. Haruka moved to see what she was yelling at. Smoke snaked its way around all the chaos, and it took her eyes a moment to adjust and identify the people that fought around them. Jova still fought, though behind him, protected by his heavy set frame was Ami. "My whole damn ship is down here!" she snarled, as a man from the galley crew charged her. Her fist shot out, crumpling his nose and sending him reeling backwards.

Finally the enemy crew showed signs of backing off, the sound of cannons quieting. Over half of the galley ship's main weapons had been shoved overboard, and the few surviving men dropped weapons in a surrender. The blonde sea captain noticed something peculiar about the whole scene: where was the ship's captain? None of the uniforms of the _Heavenly King_'s crew indicated a rank as high as the captain. Something felt wrong, the feeling buzzing in the pit of her stomach. It was in the wind as well, ruffling her hair and sending her mind into a state of irritation.

The remaining of the _Heavenly King_s' crew stood surrounded by the _Iphis_ and _Io's Argos_' crew. All of them were moved back towards the ship's cabin, while the two captains stood together on the outside. Haruka felt like she was waiting for something to happen, something bad. Ami, Jova, and Ouranös made their way towards them amongst the crowd.

"Something's not right," Haruka finally said. The four others stood silent, and when she looked over at the other captain, the brunette nodded, her lips pursed tightly. She was waiting for something to happen as well.

The large double doors to the cabin swing open, a thick billowing fog blinding them all. Battle cries echoed in Haruka's mind, and she remembered thinking, _well that's over dramatic_! Four men walked out, surrounded by more of their crew, a good number crowding around them. They had to be the captains, if not one, then all four of them—it was possible. Their uniforms, or even better, their costumes, were elaborate capes, with double breasted jackets, and black boots. They all wore silver, like the rest of their crew.

Before either of the captains standing on the outside could react, the four in the center gave a signal with their hands and arms. The fresh crew that came from the inside of the cabin unsheathed their pistols and swords, charging to the surrounding crew, everything unfreezing. The five that were on the outskirts moved in quickly, the two captains shouting orders to their own crews, while the second in commands relayed the orders again. Haruka moved in towards a man that had his teeth bared, when she saw Jova slump right next to her. She lost him seconds later, losing sight of him, and moved deeper into the frenzy.

As soon as Ami fell on her other side, the blonde sea captain yanked her back up by her arm while she lost her own second in command in the crowd. She prayed to her sea God that Randy and the rest of her crew had listened to her own orders and were still posted on her ship, waiting for them to return: the tide of the battle seemed to be turning.

"You know who these people are?" Haruka shouted, glancing over her shoulder. She aimed before shooting her pistol into the crowd. A cry pierced through the chaos.

"Uh-huh," Makoto answered, with a grunt. "One of them is my ex boyfriend. And I hope that I kill him before the day's out, and use him as an example to all of Khaos."

Haruka would have let out a string of barely intelligible curses had it not been for the battle all around them. She had lost track of Ami, but before the initial pause of the battle, she appeared like she could hold her own, her small frame slipping easily out of the grasp of the enemy crew while she continuously slashed skillfully with her own small, blue sapphire studded sword.

She eventually noticed that the _Iphis_ and the _Io's Argos_ were fighting to kill, but the _Heavenly Kings_' crew seemed to have a different tactic. Quickly, the crew disarmed everyone around them, holding the unarmed people at sword point. Fewer and fewer people from the air ship and the sloop were left standing and fighting: finally, the two captains got the message and called off the fight. Only then did one of the four captains begin speaking.

Haruka swallowed, while Makoto cried out: Ami had been taken by the youngest looking captain in silver, held still by a rapier to the throat.

The man with long silver hair appeared to be at the head of the four. He opened his arms appealingly before speaking. "Now why this unneeded attack?" he asked, mock beseechingly.

"Because you attacked us first and we had no choice but to fight back," grumbled Makoto. Yelling about it wouldn't help matters, so she stayed silent after that.

He stepped forward, the losing sides staring at him defiantly as he passed them. The man took no notice.

"That's Kunzite," Makoto whispered under her breath. The two captains were the only ones not held at sword point, but there was no point in trying to fight when they were so severely out numbered. "The man with long brown hair—my ex—is Nephrite, while the man holding Mizuno is Zoisite. The remaining man with short blond hair is Jadeite—they are what Khaos has crowned the _Four Heavenly Kings_, hence the name of the ship. Khaos has promised them each one fourth of the known world."

As she spoke, Kunzite moved towards the sea captain and the cloud captain. The smooth smile on his face seem to widen as he stepped closer to the two women, while the remaining 'three kings' stood behind, watching him almost nervously: the silver haired man was taking a rather large risk, moving towards two armed captains.

"Ah," observed the head captain as he came to a stop. "Let me guess, Captain Tenoh? I've heard a lot about you—most of it from a very angry associate of mine. Apparently you stole something very special to him." Haruka pretended to not know who he was talking about, keeping her mouth shut. "And Captain Kino," he started, pausing to kiss the back of Makoto's hand. Haruka thought that she looked like she was about to launch herself onto the man. "It's been a while sense I've heard... anything of you actually. What are you doing with a lowly pirate?"

The brunette crossed her arms over her chest, her hip sticking out towards the side in mock arrogance. "She seems to be rising up if she's called attention to herself from Khaos."

The silver haired man pursed his lips. "I guess so then," he allowed, though his eyes were still clever. "But," he continued, changing to business, "There is something that I've been assigned to look for, and I was wondering if you've heard anything about it... Maybe, even better, if you have it in your possession?"

Haruka kept carefully out of the conversation—if she had any part in it, she would probably reveal her hand in having possession of the crate. It was already damning enough that she was standing there next to the cloud captain. The blonde captain hadn't expected this to happen. In her imagination she had hoped to come to the rescue, turning the tides just enough to scare the galley ship away, before she moved her own way.

"I wouldn't know," Makoto said courteously. She shook her head slightly. "But then again, you didn't tell me what it was you were looking for."

"A creature, a being... A doll, I think was what it has been called as of late according to my sources. I followed the clues... And they pointed all right towards you my dear. And," he continued, "I assume the reason why you're meeting this pirate hooligan is to get what she stole from us, and deliver all that you have to that pathetic Queen that you serve."

Makoto stiffened at the insult towards her Queen. "Stolen is such a harsh word," she said, her voice threateningly calm. "I feel as though that we have gotten back something that belongs to us."

"No matter," replied Kunzite with the wave of his hand as he turned his back towards them. "I believe that I have the equivalent of what you have taken from me anyway, and I'll report it to my Mistress."

"What?" Makoto asked, confused. Then her eyes widened, the blood draining from her face. "_NO_!"

She tried to run towards Kunzite—or Ami, it was hard to tell—but she was held back by his crew. At her reaction, Haruka snapped into action and fought along with her new ally, though the brunette fought more viciously. The blonde sea captain watched Ami being dragged in with all four of the captains, all four of the 'kings', the heavy double doors closing behind them. As soon as the four, plus Ami, were out of the brunette's sight, she slumped, falling to her knees on the polished, wooden deck.

It took Haruka a few moments to realize that her ally had stopped the fight. She looked down, seeing the dead-like woman. "What are you doing?" she asked, her voice strong, ringing out like a golden bell.

Makoto didn't bothering looking up, still focused on her knees. She slowly shook her head. "It is a fair trade off," she whispered. "Whatever that doll is, it must not get into their hands. Ami can fight her way out—I will get my queen to send an army of ten thousand to free her. We will get her back." The brunette woman had trouble breathing, dry sobs heaving from her throat. "But right now, we need to get the doll to a safer place. You need to. And I will report back to my Queen. Everything will be okay."

Everyone that was still alive moved off of the galley ship without any further fighting. They hobbled on to their own ships, up ropes and down planks. The _Heavenly Kings_ sailed off, a fat gloating spider setting into the horizon. The two captains met up on the air ship when they felt it was safe enough, and they added up their total losses. There were few deaths, but they were large sacrifices for what ever was contained in the crate. Jova had been killed during the second part of the battle, his corpse left back on the galley's deck because Makoto hadn't noticed that he had been killed. Haruka guessed that she thought he was the kind of indestructible man that could survive anything.

Even though Makoto's face was carefully held as they sorted through business, there was something stiff and worn through, her body beginning to lie down. Haruka knew because she had been there on several occasions. But she went along with Makoto's charade, knowing that it was what she wanted. What was left of her higher command, Ganymede, sat at her side. Randy and Ouranös sat at Haruka's side.

When it was all said and done, Haruka and her first and second in command stood up from the table to return to the _Iphis_ down below them. Makoto and Ganymede stood up out of respect, the outline of the brunette's eyes red. The blonde looked down, heading towards the door, getting ready to exit out of the captain's cabin—but she saw only one shadow moving just behind her.

She looked up, confused. One of her crew wasn't at her side. Haruka turned around, and noticed that it was Randy that was still at her side—Ouranös had remained at the table. Something in the bottom of her stomach dropped, and the sea captain swallowed hard.

"Ouranös?" she asked. "Any reason why you're still at the table—we have to board _Iphis_ and set sail."

The lithe blond man cleared his throat, clearly nervous at what he was about to say. "I am staying here."

"What?"

"I've talked to the ship's captain, and they are more than willing to let me in." He stepped forward, licking dry lips. "I've been thinking about leaving for quite sometime, but couldn't find the right way to say so—the _Iphis_ has become a home to me, so it hasn't made this any easier. But they _need _me and my expertise. They just lost their second in command and Ami."

Haruka raised her hand, silencing him, forcing a smile onto her face. The upward lift of her lips was a strain, almost painful as she looked at her soon to be ex first in command. "Say no more. I understand." She turned to leave once more, raising a finger into the air, hoping that she sounded lighthearted. Inside, her heart was crashing down her chest. "But don't come crying to me when it becomes all boring and dull, and you want to come back to all the fun."

Before she moved out of the hall, she could hear him responding back. "Thank you Captain Tenoh."

Moments' later Haruka found herself on the top deck of the _Io's Argos_, Makoto already waiting for her—she had probably taken some sort of short cut. The brunette was the last person that the blonde wanted to see, but she kept her face concealed of any emotion. They stood side by side as the crew checked pulleys that would lower the two alien crew off of the air ship.

Finally Makoto broke the silence. "We'll take good care of him," she said finally. "I did not mean for this to happen, but he insisted, and finally I had to take him up on the offer, knowing that I couldn't do without both a science and technology officer, as well as a second in command."

Haruka stayed silent, so the brunette changed the subject. "Do not try to take the crate immediately to Scorpus, I suspect that you will be followed around for a while. Go on with life as normal, so that if there are any spies from Khaos, you will not tip them off to anything about the doll. I will send you a message when it is safe enough."

"I know exactly where to keep it for the mean time," Haruka said, her voice heavy.

Makoto's eyes lit up. "Oh? Where?"

The blonde sea captain snickered at that as she moved onto the sturdy platform that would lower Randy and herself down to their sloop. "I can't tell you that one—I better tell as few people as possible. The only people who know both of its location and its contents are limited to just me, Randy, and one other man. The other man will take Ouranös' position."

"Oh? Very well then," Makoto conceded. "If you are having any trouble at all, contact me."

With that, Randy and Haruka were lowered down over the ship, back down towards the sea where there sloop was comfortably nestled. When the two were safely on the main deck of the _Iphis_ the platform was hired back into the sky, until it disappeared into the air ship.

The wind was strong, pulling the sloop farther and farther away from the sungrazer class ship. The blonde sea captain let Randy take control, and he was politely silent, both of them feeling the loss of the lithe, stubborn first in command. After she gave the announcement of his leaving, she settled her upper body on the wooden railing, letting the strong wind take her mind away. As dusk fell, she began her work on the letter to a certain bar maiden, writing into the night, and again in the morning. It didn't matter—she had plenty of time for the journey ahead back to Elysia.

* * *

Michiru and Haruka walked stiffly up the stairs, both women completely exhausted, though for different reasons. The aqua haired woman's back was stiff from a long day's work, plus listening to her sea captain at the booth in the same sitting position for so long. Slowly, with the cautiousness of a butterfly, she slipped her hand into the captain's, intertwining her fingers around the blonde's long ones. Haruka looked down behind her at the bar maiden, and though her eyes looked so tired, a shocked look appeared in them. The look faded just as quickly as it had come and a warm smile moved across her lips—the first real smile that she had given since she had come. She squeezed the aqua woman's hand, holding it tighter in her firm grasp.

The aqua haired woman at first had felt angry (and jealous, she had to admit to herself) at Haruka for her flirtation with that doctor Thebe that she had mentioned. Of course the color did rise to the blonde woman's cheeks at the mention and at the look on Michiru's face, but the bar maiden had to admit to herself as well that this was the way the sea captain was around people. She couldn't blame her—out at sea for long periods of time—and it wasn't like Michiru had made any other moves to mark her as her territory, other than the ridiculous notion of writing her letters. So far neither had followed through.

They reached the same room that they had spent the night in the last time Haruka stayed, Michiru shifting through the ring of keys at her hip for the bronze key that would fit into the door. With a flick of the wrist, and seconds' later, they moved into the room, the blonde leading her by the hand towards the bed.

The bed felt as soft as a feather under Michiru's knee as she rested her weight on it, Haruka laying on her side so that the bar maiden could fit in comfortably. Shyly the aqua haired woman joined her, both women silent as she crouched above the sea captain. They watched each other unblinkingly, slow and cautious.

The aqua haired woman's lips brushed over Haruka's, a lightening shock shooting through her mouth up into her mind. She gasped as she moved away, but the blonde's head rose up, capturing her lips with hers, her arms around her, hands exploring the delicate woman's back. Michiru's fingers tangled themselves in the captain's thick hair, and she repositioned herself so that her legs were on either side of the other woman.

Haruka's hands were exploring her body: her back, her stomach, her hips, an almost unbearable heat moving through her clothes and over her skin. Their kiss deepened, Michiru lowering herself over the captain's willing form, the blonde's agile hands moving over her rump, pushing it upwards over her crotch. Haruka let out her breath as if she hadn't been breathing, her voice coming out in deep and heady moans, leaving Michiru to move to her neck and nip lightly at the skin there.

But, Haruka slowly pushed her away, her hands around Michiru's upper arms after what felt like hours, when it had only been less than two minutes. She slid upwards as the aqua haired woman looked up at her, confused. "I can't," she murmured. "I haven't done what you asked—you know writing to you about my adventures each time I returned?"

Michiru smiled slyly. It disappeared as she gave the blonde sea captain a sideways look. "Why does that matter _you_ anymore?"

The captain crossed her arms over her chest, resting her head on the bed frame. "I think that this is a pity fuck. I don't want my women pitying me."

The bar maiden drew back, her eyes widening in shock at her words. Her lips pursed as her anger rose. "What do you mean? I think I wouldn't stoop that low, Captain Tenoh!"

Slowly Haruka drew her face down, kissing the blue haired woman softly. Michiru struggled to hold on to her anger, but found it fizzling away, replaced by another heat deep inside her chest as her heart hammered at its core. Before she could stop herself, she found that she was kissing the other woman back. The blonde pulled away with a groan.

"I would like to keep my promise," she said, her voice no louder than a whisper. A wry grin streaked through her face, touching her lips and eyes. "I like a good challenge, and it would be no fun if my challenger gave in, now would it?"

Instead of getting herself angry again, Michiru conceded, pursing her lips as she nodded. "I suppose so," she sighed, pulling her leg from the other side of Haruka. She noticed, with a devious delight, that Haruka eyed her leg almost forlornly.

"You know," Haruka said, raising an eyebrow, as she looked back up at her, "This is just as hard for me as it is for you."

"I hate you."

Haruka laughed, and Michiru could feel the air moving through the woman's chest before moving up her throat and out into the air. Finally, the blonde sea captain sank back down to the pillows, joining her bed partner, the exhaustion returning to her eyes, and they drooped as she looked at the aqua haired woman. The faint smile never left her lips, even as she sighed, her breathing slowing, her chest rising up and down rhythmically. Her eyes finally closed as she drifted off. The aqua haired woman watched her, stroking the thick blonde hair.

"Haruka," asked Michiru quietly.

"Uhn?" groaned Haruka, who was already half asleep—she didn't even open her eyes.

"What happened to the letter that you started?"

"Burned it out of frustration..." mumbled Haruka. "Sorry..."

Even though the woman was left frustrated in a much different way, she felt sleep coming over her own eyelids, weighing heavily against them. She shifted her weight around, turning her back towards the other sleeping woman. The sea captain moaned softly in her sleep, one of her arms positioning its self against her hip, the warmth of her body pooling hypnotically in the small of Michiru's back. With a deep sigh her eyes finally closed, and she knew nothing more, but the warmth of the form next to her, and the safe darkness of sleep.

* * *

The sun shown through the window, beams of light whispering through the wooden panes. Michiru woke up to find the bed empty once more when she rolled over to look at where Haruka would have been. The sheets were warmed by the rising sun, as well as tangled and roped around the bar maiden as she shifted around. After a while she got out of the small, narrow bed, and washed up at the small stand, the cold water shocking her face. The aqua haired woman made sure that everything was in place when she looked into the small, cracked mirror on the back of the door, before exiting and locking it.

The pub was alive, the sound of customer's voices buzzed from the floor below, music lilting into her ears from down the hall. Most had strong mugs of plain black coffee, or teas that had been imported from all over. It was a bit quieter at this time; it was morning, and most men preferred passing dawn in silence. Bar maidens bustled around them, energetic as always, asking a customer how their day was going so far before moving on to serve someone else's meal.

Few of the bar maidens greeted the aqua haired woman as she passed by, though Oberon was not yet out serving. Michiru hadn't realized that she'd come out so early. Even though the old man worked late, he was usually up by mid morning, with a wide smile on his face. The man was crazy, running on about five hours a sleep a night, but then Michiru supposed that was all some needed to function.

She came out of the back minutes later, searching for where her instruments were, bringing out two bulky cases. Without any problems, Michiru moved up the stairs—a deceptively strong woman. After relieving the man who played the harmonica regularly throughout the week, she sat in the emptied chair and opened the largest of the two. Few of the men had quickly taken notice of the small aqua haired woman, even before she began to strum her guitar.

Her long, white fingers moved across the strings, warming them up and testing their sound. The free hand moved to the pegs, and she began the short process of tuning, the instrument humming under her fingers, eager for her touch. Slowly, Michiru's mind sank under the water, pulled in by the music already humming through her ears, both in the violin and in her guitar. She would warm up the crowd to the larger instrument, then move on to her violin, her oldest friend.

Finally, she moved the strap around her shoulders, securing the guitar against her. It was strangely quiet in the bar, as if they were holding their breath for her, an occurrence she was so used to, that she hardly noticed. Her fingers strummed the instrument, her other hand moving down the wide finger board, stringing together notes that would form her song—a song that she had just only heard a few seconds before, and in her own imagination.

Michiru didn't even notice the time passing, time nothing to her mind. Her mind, instead, formed simple pictures, faces that flashed by, though something more realistic than just a dream. The sea, the waves, foam that fizzled in her ears as it crashed on land, while her song interwove through those sounds, sewing a more complete image. Bright flowers against a bright green of the leaves that cradled them. Haruka...

Her eyes snapped open, the sea captain's face disappearing from her eyes. The upstairs of the bar was still silent, though someone cleared their throat. She realized that her long, artist's fingers were hanging dumbly in the air over the silver strings. Shaking her head, the aqua-haired woman lifted the strap from around her, moving the guitar back into its case. She opened the violin case, and began the same ritual of tightening her bow, brushing it across its strings, and tuning the smaller instrument.

Now that she had pictured the sea captain's face, she was far more distracted than she had ever been when playing her instruments. Though instead of the music in her mind going completely silent, it became almost deafening and overwhelming. Michiru took a couple of deep breaths, closing her eyes. When she focused, it quieted a bit, and she was able to rest the violin in the crook above her collar bone. Even though her mind was stunned, pulled out from the comforts of the ocean, she pulled out notes from old nursery rhymes that she remembered from childhood.

It happened often in the days that she was playing. The blonde haired woman was a constant distraction for Michiru. The bar maiden was confused at the way her mind was reacting—it was as if she was slowly going insane, her brains spinning out of control for this woman. Never had she felt this way for anyone.

* * *

**AN:**

_As always, thank you so much for your reviews!_


	9. Act Seven

**Act Seven: Star seeds in the garden of Hell**

Life suddenly changed for the bar maiden, and a strange man appeared during one of her performances.

Three weeks later, she sensed someone watching her—a much different presence than anyone else that had been into the bar, save for Haruka. She opened her eyes slightly, so that she could see who was around her.

A young man, a bit younger than herself, sat alone at a table near the balcony. His hair was silvery white, cascading around his face, his golden eyes staring unblinkingly at her. His mug was barely touched, still filled to the top. He was hardly the type that would come around to the _Ariel_, even though Michiru liked to think that the pub was a safe and honest establishment. The boy was high ranking, a noble, or perhaps a knight—she couldn't tell which from his posture and clothing. He looked like he was waiting more than he was listening to her music, and the way he looked at her, it was the aqua haired woman that he was waiting for.

Michiru cut the song short, and everyone clapped when there was a long enough pause in her playing. She stood up delicately, bowing her head slightly, before resting her weight back into the chair so that she could put the violin down and close both of the beetle black cases up. Afterwords she was going to ask the man what he wanted.

Even though he looked nonthreatening, she was still on her guard as she carried the cases towards his table. The boy watched her calmly, his face unreadable. She stood above him, still trying to figure him out. He held out a hand to an empty chair.

"Please. Sit." His voice was not at all aggressive, nor arrogant, quite unlike most of the men from his class. It was deep and calming, and suddenly she was compelled to listen to him, as well as her gut: he was no threat. Even though he was so young looking, he was dignified.

"My name is Elios," he answered before she could ask, "And I am the owner of the _Menarsia_." A sheepish grin crossed his face, finally revealing the boy underneath, and he rubbed the back of his neck. "I feel foolish in asking you this, but I would like to ask for your help."

Michiru drew back in her seat, her eyes wide with alarm. Elios finally pulled his gaze away from her, his golden eyes looking down at his mug, fingers fidgeting at its sides. "I am acquainted with a friend of yours—Captain Tenoh. And I thought that someone who is friends with someone as strong, loyal, and honest as her, would have those same qualities within themselves.

"She actually came by my Hotel a few weeks ago to drop off something quite _peculiar_ before she set sail, so I was unable to speak to her personally. But then I didn't realize how bad my situation was, but it has grown bad to worse—so I am desperate for help." He spread his hands out on the table, looking at his finger nails, and she knew how embarrassed he truly felt in asking her. Still, she wasn't sure if she should trust him.

Michiru stayed silent for a while as she weighed how she felt about him. Even though no flags went up in her mind, and the pit of her stomach said that it was okay to trust him, she still doubted him. Though it was very rare that she was wrong in a first impression of someone, she was still cautious. She crossed her arms over her chest, the two instrument cases sitting safely by her feet.

"What's this problem that you are having?" she prompted, her voice calm and gentle. The aqua haired woman hoped that her voice didn't show any of the cynicism that she was feeling.

"I feel terrible for asking," he said, still hesitating on describing the matter, "And I'm willing to pay for your troubles..."

"Tell me," she urged, her voice smooth, eyes kind. Though on the inside she bristled slightly at being offered money.

"A very close friend of mine has... disappeared. Her home, nor I know where she is, only that we've narrowed it down between the two places. But I feel as though that she would be hidden here—there are thousands of places to hide a person, despite the fact that this is a fairly tiny island." The color drained from his face, his eyes saddening, as he was suddenly plunged into what he really felt.

"I lo—I really care deeply for her, and she has been gone for at least a week and a half. No one has heard anything of her. She was with me one moment—and gone the next. Problems started to arise weeks before that, we knew that we were being watched, though I thought it was I that was being spied on. No one knows who she is here, she comes in disguise as a simple merchant's daughter."

Before she went into his personal life, and asked who the girl really was to him, she asked the most obvious question. "So what do you want me to do if I were to help you?"

He breathed in a few times as if he realized that he hadn't been breathing. "I would like you to see if you could hear anything about what has happened. I am of a higher rank—I move and act that way because that was how I was raised—I am no good as a spy, I am actually quite useless except for political matters strictly."

Michiru slowly nodded her head in understanding. "And being a bar maiden, I'm constantly around customers and they either trust me like a councilor, or they don't notice me because I'm inconsequential."

"Not so harshly put, but yes," Elios swallowed.

The bar maiden sat back, crossing her arms over her chest. "Is there anything that you can give me? Like any clues to who might have taken her?"

Elios looked up from the table when her realized that he had been staring at it. He rubbed his bottom lip with his index finger as he thought, staring passed her. "The Kingdom where she is from has been warring with a newly forming nation. This country has several spies dispersed all over the lands, wreaking havoc where ever they are."

"And you strongly suspect that they had something to do with her kidnapping?" interrupted the aqua haired woman.

Slowly the hotel manager nodded his head. "I also suspect that it is a small band of saboteurs working for this newly forming kingdom, and heading them is a man who has crowned himself Prince Diamond."

Michiru had to try very hard to keep herself composed: she knew that name. Wasn't it one of the pirates that Haruka had run into? She shook her head, riding on a hunch. "Do you think that she is valuable enough to be put up for ransom?"

"More valuable for that." The white haired boy stopped, gripping distractedly at the edges of the table with long porcelain fingers. He licked his lips when he realized that they were dry. "I maybe getting myself into more trouble if I tell you what I am about to say... Serenity, my friend, is really the Princess of a kingdom that I have long respected. Her mother, the Queen, is in possession of one of the most powerful sources known to the world, and I am suspecting that Usa, the Princess' nickname, also has one of these sources. That source would be highly useful to the enemy lands."

Michiru felt the bottom drop out of her stomach, and decided to follow the other hunch. "What are these sources called?"

Elios cleared his throat, and she saw that he wasn't looking directly at her anymore. He closed his eyes as he said it: "They are called Star Seeds."

Even though the bar maiden knew what Haruka said was true (maybe with some exaggeration inserted here and there) it still felt like just that—just stories. The Star Seeds were real, the doll was real, all of the other places that the blonde captain had been to were all real, just by that man being there. Michiru suddenly felt like she had been thrown into a fairy tale adventure. She snapped back to the present and folded her hands into her lap before speaking.

"I will try my best," she said slowly. Michiru also knew that she was representing Haruka, and that by helping Helios, she was helping the blonde sea captain. Color rose to her cheeks at the prospect.

* * *

A few more weeks passed, and still she had not heard anything that sounded even vaguely like a kidnapping or some sort of dark unfolding plan from any of her new customers. Nor had she heard anything from Haruka, and soon she began to worry. Was everything all right?

She supposed that maybe it would have been better if the blonde sea captain had left something behind for her to hold on to. But at the same time, Michiru knew that she wouldn't accept such a thing—mementos were something that romantics took, and the aqua haired bar maiden was _not_ a romantic. And she was pretty sure that Haruka was no romantic either. Michiru was not in love with this blonde pirate captain.

The more she argued, the more she knew that she was lying to herself, and the more out of control she felt her emotions were getting. Michiru tried her best to focus on her work, but she couldn't help it when there was a lull in the pub. Most of her work, other than entertaining the old and young sailors that came through, consisted of manual work such as table and dish cleaning, as well as sweeping the floor. The slow hours ended with sorting utensils.

Finally, it reached midday and the bar maiden was allowed to slow down a bit. The flow of people was more steady, and she took her time getting around to tables, carrying trays of food or drinks. There were a few new faces in the large bar, a young hassled-looking sailor, and a man that looked like a noble or courtier. The _Ariel_ seemed to pull in clientele this way—most just happened to wonder in, like the infamous Captain Tenoh—and they usually were hooked after the first time.

Michiru moved towards the harassed sailor, and asked if he needed anything, 'the first ale was on the house' she told him reassuringly. When she returned from the back of the bar, she slowly served him his drink—and that was when she heard it.

"The extraction is not at all working, she is much stronger than we had suspected..."

Michiru sat down across from the sailor, bringing out an old deck of cards. The sailor looked alarmed for a moment, but he warmed up quickly to the charming aqua haired woman. Fortunately, for her, he was a quiet and shy sort of man, and she was able to hear more of the conversation going on behind her. She continued listening to the high ranking man. Some newer people must have come in, while she had gone to get the sailor's drink. Michiru went through the normal motions of shuffling the cards and dealing them out between the two of them, a light smile on her face, as he began to talk about where he came from—Lieres ironically.

"How is Lieres?" she asked as she finished dealing, placing the half used deck in the middle of the table. She glanced just slightly over her shoulder so that she could get a better look at the nobleman.

"It's been quite nice actually. Going through some peculiar changes, but still as prosperous as ever," he began. His tanned, calloused fingers sorted through his fanned cards.

The noble-looking man had dark raven hair, and cold, almost emotionless eyes. Around him sat a ginger haired man and two other women. They were all hunched over the wood as they spoke quietly amongst each other, and Michiru could only catch a word here and there.

Extraction? Did these star seeds need extraction? Where did one keep a star seed? Did they just mean extracting information from this Princess? The more Michiru listened into the conversation, the more she realized how little she was prepared; how little she knew, even with the small bit that Elios had given her, as well as the blonde sea captain's tales. The longer she listened in however, the more confident she became about those people being the ones that Elios had been looking for. One of the women slipped out the word "princess" before she was promptly silenced.

Michiru easily won the first round of cards, and she swiftly began the pattern of shuffling and sorting them out between the two at the table once more. The aqua haired bar maiden heard them moving to get up, and breathed a sigh of relief when one of the men mentioned that they would meet at the same place the next day. She relaxed, and smiled at the sailor opposite to her. There would have to be a bit more proof for her to feel comfortable enough to report it to the owner of _Minarsia_. Strange things happened all the time at the _Ariel_, putting a cynic to the test.

Two more games passed, and finally the bar maiden stood up on two stiff legs, bidding the sailor goodbye before moving on to chat with some of the other bar maidens, and then onto cleaning some of the emptied tables. The day moved on like any other day, though she found out that Halimede was pregnant with what a seer said appeared to be twins. Needless to say that the younger bar maiden would have to take a few weeks off as soon as she went into labor.

Oberon let her off as the sun began to set, allowing her to have the evening to herself. He had insisted she take off, Despoina taking over for the night until the bar would close. As Michiru grabbed what little of her things behind the counter, she found the older woman's husband at one of the tables smoking a pipe. Arion winked at the aqua haired woman as she began to move out of the building, to which he got a grin and an eye roll.

When she got outside, she found that it had gotten a bit windy. The sky was orange and purple, and the clouds were a light blue as the sun set. People scurried all around her, and some of the shop keepers began to close their elaborately decorated stands. People sat on some of the benches, there was a guitarist on one corner, and a few cheap whores on another that she passed.

Shapes changed all about her the lower the sun got and more lanterns were lit in preparation for the night. Shadows shifted and waved, and the sounds of paper flying caught her ears over the soft chatter of the townspeople.

The aqua haired woman stopped by a quickly closing bakery and picked up something that would suffice for a dinner, and passed on. She glanced over the hills of buildings when she came back out, and saw the grand building of _Minarsia._ It shone silver and white as the orange lights glowed out of its wide, curved windows. She continued to move back a bit so that she could make her way home.

Michiru had only been to the grand hotel maybe twice in her life at Elysia. The palace was fantastic, and elaborately furnished. It had curved archways, exotic flowers hanging from them, almost as bright and beautiful as the chandeliers hanging from the vaulted ceilings. Grand staircases, golden trim along the walls, friezes from the ceiling, telling ancient myths. There was also a huge mirror the span of two columns, which formed an arch. It was such a strange, random thing, but it made the large building feel more massive and eternal.

In that mirror, the bar maiden had seen her reflection. The last time she was there, she frowned—she didn't belong to such a rich world, her clothing tattered, and her hair wild around her head. The aqua haired woman turned in what she had to deliver as fast as her small, fairy feet could carry her, and rushed out of the building. She had never seen the owner of _Minarsia—_at least not until the day that he asked for her help.

"AHHH!"

A strangled scream came out of her throat. Somebody grabbed her from behind, covering her mouth. She could feel the other cold hand wrapped around her neck, threatening to choke her if she struggled. Around Michiru was the sound of cackling, echoing against the narrow alleyway, shadows of women moving along with old brick and wood. In the shadows ahead of her, she saw that one of them formed the shape of a man—and he was making his way towards the group around Michiru. His cold blue eyes stood out the most to her, and she realized that it was the man that she had been spying on in the _Ariel._

The cold hands slackened around her throat, and the aqua haired bar maiden found that her mouth was no longer covered. And the only thing that she could say was:

"Who are you?"

"You were spying on us," he said calmly, completely ignoring her question. "And unfortunately for you, you will be coming with us."

Michiru's wrists were bound with strong rope, and she realized that the person behind her had been a green haired woman with lantern green eyes and a cruel smile. When she came out from behind the aqua haired woman, she was adjusting a silken black glove over her hand and arm. She was forced ahead of the woman, while the blue eyed man moved in front, leading the way.

Soon, she noticed that they had gotten turned around. The almost heavenly glow of the _Minarsia_ slowly began to rise as they walked closer and closer to it. Her captives were silent as they walked around her, the only sound was the sound of their shoes thumping softly against the durable wood. It drove her crazy knowing that she could take them out, but something in the back of her mind told her to stop.

They had to be the ones that had the girl Elios was looking for. And if that were true, Michiru had to play helpless.

The gloved woman held fast to Michiru, the cold fingers turning the bar maiden's upper arms numb as bruises blossomed. The dark haired man took the lead, and had an almost stony aura around him. Another woman—the shadow, took his side, and they began whispering in hushed tones.

Michiru watched the other woman with an almost begrudging curiosity. The colors she wore were black and crimson, blending in with the shadows. Her voice was like a high bell when she laughed, and when the lanterns hit her the right way, the bar maiden found that her long, flowing hair was a deep pink. The woman looked over her shoulder to glance at her, and she smiled. It was a cruel, emotionless smile that made the captive want to cringe.

"Take our captive out because I am sure that she finds this walk rather boring," said the pink haired woman offhandedly—and that was when Michiru began to struggle against her captives.

The gloved woman behind her held fast, one of her cold hands reaching up behind the the bar maiden's neck. Michiru felt her knees being kicked out from under her, hitting the ground with a painful thud, just as she felt a pressure rising from her neck. Her vision started to go black around the edges as things began to go dark. She struggled, but the more she fought the quicker her body gave out.

And then she knew nothing more.

* * *

Slowly the bar maiden came to, a searing headache pounding her head. It was black all around her, and it took her a couple of seconds for her to realize that her eyes were fully opened because of how dark it was. Her gravity was also off; she wasn't laying down, but upwards, and her arms were spreadeagled, feet left dangling. Slowly, her vision cleared and she was able to make out vague shapes in the darkness. The pain in her head never once dulled and stayed just above her eyebrows.

The aqua haired girl swallowed, and the headache lurched in her brain. Michiru groaned, instinctively shifting, quickly finding her limbs stiff and cold. How long had she been out? She began to squirm around, finding out quickly that she was shackled at her wrist and elbows. The floor appeared to be a few inches from her sandeled toes.

There was another form close by her, she soon realized, but he (or she) seemed to still be out cold. She could feel the heavy form next to her, and it was quiet enough in the room that she could hear their soft breathing. Michiru wracked her brain for any memories of her kidnapping. She remembered that there was no one else around them when she had been taken to give her clues as to who the person was. The prisoner next to her must have been someone, like her, who had been found at the wrong place and wrong time.

Something else suddenly caught her attention: In front of her, about twenty or forty feet away, appeared to be a light blue orb, slowly growing in brightness as it drew closer to her. Soon it began to shade the front of the bar maiden's body in electric blue. She braced herself, knowing that it was either her tormentors, or people that were related to them.

Behind the blue light, she could just make out the vague shape of figures, the shadows further deepening the hallows of their faces. Their foot steps echoed in the open cavern, their voices silent. She strained her eyes to see who the people behind the blue lantern was, but she couldn't see anything more at the moment.

The figure that hung next to the aqua haired bar maiden groaned, and seemed to realize that company was getting closer and closer. Michiru stole another glance at her neighbor, finding the gender out quickly. She found that it was a young girl, the planes of her face soft and curved, and below the head revealed a delicate hour glass figure. It was still too dim to make out her hair color or any other details, but a part of her felt better that she had somewhat identified the person and was not alone in the ordeal.

Finally, the intensity of the blue faded off into purple and then a deep blood red. With that, there arose a high pitched hum of electricity humming throughout the cavern, making the room feel eerily alive. From above, a chandelier glowed with a warm brightness, though as it got lower to the ground, the light grew dim and sinister. Machines and gadgets whizzed and whirred to life. Gears spun in a blur, restless; buttons blinked, awakened from their long sleep.

Many of the items looked haunting and terrible to the bar maiden, and she was not eager to find out what they did. The main part of the room reminded her of one of those technically advanced ships that sometimes docked at _Elysia. _At the time, Michiru had been lucky enough to board one of them, and had even seen the helm, similar buttons and gears moving frantically as they kept the ship thriving. However, she guessed that this "helm" was for something else, something that wasn't meant for anything good.

Without truly taking them in, she turned her attention back to where the blood red orb of light had been, hoping to see who the faces were. The figures behind it grew in detail as the room gained more and more light. To her chagrin, she found that she didn't know any of them. She felt the bottom drop out of her stomach. Even though Michiru logically knew that these people meant to cause the same harm as the ones that captured her, it still gave her some comfort to know who her captors were.

The only man in the room was silver haired—but he didn't at all match the descriptions of either Diamond, nor one of the generals that Haruka had mentioned in her tales. On his long nose, he wore spectacles, light bouncing off of them, so she was unable to see his eyes.

The women flanking either side of him couldn't be farther apart in their appearance. One was a tall, older woman, long red hair framing her curves, some of it piled in braids on top of her head. She wore a regal black and red outfit that seemed to be made to intimidate and awe. The remaining woman was petite, a small, stylish hat tipped to the side of her light blue-haired head. They walked with a swagger, as with the remaining women in the back, though Michiru couldn't make out much of their details—though at the moment her attention was focused more on the male of the group.

"Well, well well," grinned the white haired man, "Look who's woken up!"

Even though he had meant to be intimidating and horrifying, the sound of his voice as well as his face, was so disconnected from any emotion. He was unlike that of the pink haired woman who had forced the bar maiden into unconsciousness—she had radiated her cruelty. Michiru stared back at him unblinkingly, not because she wanted to show how fearless she was, but because of she didn't know what to think of him. Something deep within the pit of her stomach flared up, cold and icy. It dawned in her mind that it was pure fear.

"Who are you?" she thought out loud.

The man stroked his beardless chin as he made his way towards her. He cocked his head to the side as he thought about what he was going to say. At first the white-haired man didn't say anything, a deadly silence spreading from around him. He stopped a foot away from her, and Michiru fought to compose herself. Slowly, as if he were dealing with a feral animal, he reached out and cupped the bar maiden's chin. She didn't not pull her eyes away from him.

"Tomoe. You can call me Tomoe. I am a scientist that works for my illustrious ruler." His voice was calm, and Michiru was almost willing to trust it, if it weren't for the fact that it was purely void of any emotion. Within the blink of an eye, he pulled his hand away, his attention suddenly on the young girl next to her.

Michiru hung in her bindings, stunned at this man. Her world was uncomfortably close to the world of Captain Tenoh's. And now suddenly there was a new character that appeared, not at all mentioned in the captain's tales—making the bar maiden feel both ill prepared and foolish. The dangers and threats were always so far away, and the bar maiden was safe from them all.

Somehow, it felt like a wound being pealed open once more, even though the scabs were already worn raw. It took her years to find her niche, and after years of her own dangers she found _Elysia—_and thatwas only an accident. A fluke. Slowly the veil of her haven was being torn away, and no matter how strong she had become over the years, _Elysia_ was something that she didn't want to give up.

The woman with the small, stylish hat moved forward with a sort of feline grace and laziness, making her way towards the helm-like structure. The remaining woman moved forward and watched Michiru with a cat-like curiosity. All of them wore the rich clothing of nobles, though in muted, understated garments. Though understated, Michiru's bar-trained mind noticed the expensive fabrics adorned subtly with jewels and pearls.

"Viluy," called Tomoe. He made the bar maiden jump because his voice had been so soft, still distracted by the specimen in front of him. The light blue haired woman cocked her head to the side in acknowledgment.

Michiru turned her attention back to the scientist—and nearly shrieked with shock. It was not Tomoe that had shocked her: it was the girl. Now that the lighting was much brighter, and Michiru's full attention was finally on the figure beside her, she was able to see her in full detail. And the first thing that she noticed was the girl's bright, flowing pink hair.

Even though the hair matched that of the cruel woman in the street, it was as if the body had switched spirits. Her eyes were soft, her frame fragile and delicate—that of a true creature of royalty, or what the bar maiden would imagine one to look like. The question was then: if this was the princess who had been captured, who was the other woman? What was her relation to the so-called princess?

As if reading her thoughts, Tomoe turned his almost bored gaze onto the confused bar maiden. His hand dropped from the face of the girl even as she struggled to regain conscientiousness.

"You have met one of our illustrious Ladies." He paused for a moment to smirk, before continuing, "Beautiful, was she not? A woman of the darkest perfection... You might be shocked to hear: This princess and that woman are one in the same."

Michiru struggled to shift around in her chains, muscles stiff and uncomfortable. She refused to look at him, angered at how he treated them both. As if she was not human, but a specimen! None of what he said made any logical sense either. How did he do it then, if what he said was true? It felt more like magic, or powers taken straight from the Gods, then science. In the corner of her eyes, she saw the silver haired man frowning.

"But this dear princess keeps fighting to get through. It is almost unfair because she is almost not her full self." He paused for a moment and stepped away from the small maiden. "No matter, we will keep bringing her back until she stays for the long run."

The bar maiden watched Viluy move to the alien machines, fingers moving swiftly to the levers and buttons it was decorated with. She moved calculatedly, a sort of look of cruel glee pasted on her face.

Michiru quickly noticed that Tomoe has his full attention on her once more. She wanted to scream—anything to put some sort of emotion on the man's face, but she doubted that losing her temper would change him. He wasn't looking at _her_; it was as if he was looking _through_ her. It was with a kind of stare that looked at her as something other than a beloved pet—it was as if he saw her as an experiment.

"Are you a spy?" he asked. His question was direct, sudden, making the aqua haired woman jump. He peered into her face, light shining off of his spectacles. A wide smile moved across his face. Michiru could hear his lips moving across his teeth because he stood so close to her, and she felt a shiver run violently down her spine. "You've been talking to one of them, haven't you?"

Michiru shook her head, unable to pull her eyes from his. She swallowed, her mouth and throat sand paper dry. He began to speak again after a few moments of silence. Around them was the sound of Viluy working, levers creaking, snapping into place, the sound of her fingers pattering over the helm-like machine... Michiru found that she was momentarily staring passed him to get a closer look at the working woman. She watched her moving fluidly over the console, feeling eerily curious. Gears sped into motion, and metal pieces and wires whizzed around so fast that they could barely be seen moving at all. Electricity sparked around the two towers flanking the machine where Viluy worked.

"You work for one of them," he continued, not even waiting for her to defend herself, "And I am ninety nine percent sure that you know where the _doll_ is."

That snapped the bar maiden out of her terrified reverie. Confusion spread to her face. "What?" her voice trembled. Of course she knew what he was talking about, but she _didn't_ have any clue at all of where the doll was kept. And she knew that she wouldn't tell him anyway even if she know. "What's the doll?" she managed to get out.

The smile on the man's face fell, and he took a step back. Michiru felt herself breathing again, not realizing that she had been holding her breath to begin with. He looked at the young woman next to her, and then back towards Viluy. The scientist took slow steps to his assistant, the remaining group, still staring at Michiru—they knew what was going to happen.

"If you aren't going to divulge any of the information that I need, let alone admit to being a spy, then I will get it out of you through my own means."

Tomoe stood over Viluy, and Michiru moved her eyes to the small group of women staring at her and the girl. They filtered around the lab, two of them making their way straight towards Michiru. They were identical twins, she quickly realized, and dressed alike save for their color choices—one deep red, and the other a dark royal blue. Their hair was braided, similar to one another, each in a ladylike fashion. Jewelry glittered from their ears and necks as the light hit them.

The one in red looked over her shoulder, her voice soft as she spoke. "Doctor Tomoe? Should we not go ahead and kill this woman?" she said. "It doesn't matter if she knows or not, we will find her, and we will be unstoppable in retrieving what we want."

Tomoe was about to say something, but the sounds of footsteps echoed from the other side of the room. He cleared his throat, and Michiru couldn't help but notice that he rolled his eyes. His pale fingers tapped irritatedly on the metal of the console Ignoring the sounds of footsteps, he hovered over the light blue-haired woman.

"Begin the process on our small lady," he said, his voice calm, predatory.

Michiru felt her throat tighten, fear pouring out of the bottom of her stomach.

"Yes sir," Viluy said, though most of her attention was on the console and everything around it.

Her arm reached out, and her fingers grasped a long, amber-colored handle, yanking it downwards. It squealed in complaint, and everything suddenly came alive. The aqua haired bar maiden was blinded momentarily by a bright blue light—pure electricity exploding from metallic rods. Her eyes, though still blurred, followed the current from the machine where the woman sat, soar towards the ceiling—the chandelier knocked completely out—and then downwards, towards the wall. The wall she was chained to...

Within the blink of an eye, the young woman's body jerked violently as the electricity ran directly into her. The bar maiden found that she was screaming in fear and shock, watching this poor girl being tortured right next to her. Michiru's hair stood on end, a sharp cold heat hitting one side of her body as the girl prickled. The girls eyes shot open, and she was screaming, joining her, and joining the snapping current in a terrifying and haunting chorus.

An aura of colors twisted out from the other side of Michiru's body, and she tore her eyes away from the girl. Greens, blues, purples, and oranges momentarily dazzled her eyes where Tomoe and Viluy were, and sound of chimes, nonsensical music overtaking the sounds of electricity and and the girl's screaming. Tears fell from the bar maiden's face; it was so beautiful. A golden lotus formed at the center of the console, right in front of the two scientists. Electricity pierced through it—how the colors formed all around them.

Then it went completely dark.

It took a long few seconds before the chandelier cut back on, it's warmth once more emanating. Michiru was shaking. Slowly she turned her head to look at the girl next to her, fearing the worst. The girl's chest unsteadily moved up and down as if she had been running, her head thrown to the side. She was alive.

The aqua haired bar maiden then turned her attention to the two working at the helm-like structure. The lotus had disappeared, and the woman who had been commanding the console was now standing. She threw up her hands.

"We won't know if the process was successful until she awakens," she sighed, adjusting her small hat.

Tomoe's attention was already elsewhere, focused directly on the bar maiden once more. He walked over to her, until his face was three feet from hers. Behind him the remaining women moved to the helm-like console, splitting up to other controls, and the orange haired woman moved to check data scrawled on parchment by Viluy. The twins rolled their eyes and moved away from the bar maiden to join their companions.

"See, my dear, that is what is going to happen to you, if you don't tell me all that you know." He paused for a moment, thinking. "Only," he said with a breath, "You may not survive something like that—as you are just a simple, simple, ordinary woman living on a desolate island full of drunken, gambling idiots. You'll just die a horrible, painful death—and sadly for you, no one will miss you. Even that little empire you decided to sell yourself to."

Michiru felt, in the back of her mind, something igniting. It was a tiny flare, but she knew it immediately: her anger. The poor bar maiden bit her tongue, forcing furious words back down her throat, knowing it wouldn't do her any good to just start spouting curses. The real thing she listened to was the threat at the beginning of his speech.

"And with the wave of my hand at your word, I will begin the process," he said, his voice noticeably lower, his voice still emotionless.

She heard it before she felt it: a sort of tingling, popping noise. Her body jerked the next moment, completely out of her control, as volts of electricity shot through her. Michiru's vision went blue and then white. It was a pain that she couldn't describe, couldn't even feel it—only that her body responded so violently to it, her brain lighting up. It was something that so horrified her.

Suddenly it stopped, just as quickly as it hit her. Her body dropped like a puppet cut from its strings. She found that she had been screaming, her throat rubbed completely raw, and her heart hammering from the horror of not being able to beat during the shock. Above her screeching ears, she heard the man speaking, his voice just barely audible, and it took every ounce of what was left of her to focus on his voice.

"And that, my dear, is what you are going to be feeling for the remainder of your small existence if you do not give me what I want."

The aqua haired bar maiden fully believed him—and that's what made her all the more terrified. Involuntarily, her body shook at those words. She refused to look at him, and she wasn't sure if it was out of fear, or out of anger. Michiru didn't want to believe the earlier thought.

"I don't know what a doll is," she whispered, her voice scratching along the inside of her throat; it was hard to even breath.

Michiru heard it again, though she didn't even have the chance to brace her body against it—not that it would have done any good. Her vision again turned a bright blue, and her eyelids clamped shut, and she could see a bright blood red flooding in front of her eyes. The second time around she felt as if her chest was being split apart. There was something different, something far more painful, and far more violating than just electricity alone. What were they doing to her?

Then it was gone; it was all gone.

And in front of her she could hear someone bursting out into laughter; a man's voice echoing and bouncing all around the cavernous room. It was a different man—far more emotional than the scientist that threatened to take her life. The same man, she assumed began to clap, slow and sarcastic. She struggled to peal open her eyes, and found that everything was too bright at first.

Slowly, ten feet away from her, a shape of a man took form, and eventually she was able to make out the more finer details. His hair was silver, almost like that of Tomoe's, though his eyes were a cold blue in color, and a smirk appeared on his perfectly-shaped lips. A thought formed in her fevered mind: he looked handsome—if it weren't for the fact that he was working for Tomoe.

"You're torturing this poor woman?" he laughed. Tomoe rolled his eyes but stayed silent as he returned to the machinery where the women surrounded it. He fingered through the parchment, his lips pursed. "Really?" continued the nobly-dressed man, "You're not going to get anything out of her but screams."

"No matter, she'll just be another test subject. I'd prefer you'd leave this place, Diamond, before I lose my temper."

Diamond's shoulder's rolled with laughter. "And what if she really doesn't know anything?"

"Like I said Diamond." Tomoe said his name as if it were a curse and something that didn't taste quite right on the tongue.

Viluy turned away from her work to give the other man a once over. She cocked her head to the side, her own blue eyes looking at him questioningly. "Sir, who is this man?" she asked. She treated Diamond as if he was a possible intruder.

Tomoe wet his lips. "The Queen has four groups that she loves to keep very close to her heart. There's, of course, her personal guard that keep her safe from any enemies (of course the Queen's powers probably are more than enough to protect herself.) Then there's her generals, which carry off her plans and attacks—then of course ourselves who help with technology and weapons amongst other things," he continued, ticking off the groups finger by finger, "And lastly and most useless, is the Queen's court, with Lord Diamond at its head."

"Fascinating," commented Diamond, arms crossed delicately over his chest.

"See, Viluy," continued Tomoe as if the other silver haired man hadn't spoken, "the court is like the collar bone—pretty to look at, but useless in the whole scheme of things."

"Funny," Diamond smirked, "I thought we were the heart and soul of the Queen's people."

Tomoe waved a hand, returning to his work. "Then I see that we are in trouble because if you are the heart and soul of this whole operation, then the heart is an empty pit."

With that Diamond's head snapped back with more waves of laughter. Michiru could have sworn that there were tears in his eyes. "Tomoe, I find you so amusing! Your jokes never cease to be a great light in my life!"

Then, after a few more moments of lighthearted laughter, the noble stepped forward towards Michiru, his attention once more on her. "And I see that I am glad that you are not the heart—the empire would be so_ frigid_."

Michiru, as they argued, slowly regained her wits, and her senses returned to her, though her body was left weak and shaking. She was able to look the man in the eyes as he slowly made his way towards her, a curious glimmer in his face. He glanced back over at Tomoe.

"I would think twice about killing her."

"And why not?" pointed out Tomoe hypothetically. He began to work at the console, flipping a few switches, while glancing down at the parchment.

The nobleman cocked his head to the side. "Do you not sense that? You don't sense it from her?"

"Sense what?" Tomoe sneered.

Diamond's eyes focused on the bar maiden. "You, my dear, are very special." As if reading Michiru's confused and reeling mind, he continued. "I believe that you are very similar to another soldier that we came across, as well as this girl still sleeping right next to you."

He touched the side of Michiru's face, and the gentle action made her jump, the chains around her arms jingling as she moved unintentionally. Diamond's touch was soft and warm, something so different from what the bar maiden had felt just minutes before; it was seductive, making her feel uneasy.

"You have a special soul," he began again, though she began to realize that he was probably talking more to Tomoe than to her, even though he addressed her. "And I don't just mean any soul, like a spirit, but an almost physical manifestation of one—buried right in you. It makes you very powerful, formidable—though I'm betting that you didn't know you had such power. Poor thing. But at the same time, you're very vulnerable." He stroked her hair. "But we can change that, make you indestructible."

Michiru squinted her eyes at such nonsense. "What?"

"You're special," he said again. He paused, then decided to explain himself—now she had his full attention. "There are ten warriors, ten _holy_ warriors, that belong to our enemy Queen. The _Lune_ Queen. She controls people with these special souls, and unfortunately, they aren't born very often. Selfishly she uses them for her bidding—and fortunately for you, I believe that we have all that we need to undo that little spell of hers."

Now it was Tomoe's turn to begin laughing. Though his laughter was more of a quiet, mocking chuckle, and the bar maiden was almost surprised that he had such emotional capabilities. "You think she's one of them? One of the all powerful soldiers? The Queen has all ten of them in her service, and by sheer dumb luck we got our hands on two."

He stepped away from the helm-like console and began to make his way towards Diamond and the captured bar maiden. "And which one do you think that she is? And where would you like to assign her?" Tomoe began ticking off his fingers again. "The Generals have theirs, you have yours, albeit still conscience, and lastly, I'm going to have mine as soon as she tells me where it is. Do you want her to be apart of the Queen's guard?"

Tomoe threw up his hands in sarcasm. "She already has plenty of her own warriors personally serving her. Ah," he raised a finger, "You want a second one, you greedy little noble—is that it?"

Diamond seemed to be completely taken with the bar maiden. "No matter, she will find a place with as attractive as she is."

The silver haired man leaned against the wall just beside her, before continuing. "And, according to my spies, the Queen has not found them all. Two of them belong in the family, four of them are currently in service," he cleared his throat. "I mean, now three. One of them is heavily guarded, the other one is... Let me put it bluntly—broken into thousands of pieces. And then there are the two that have yet to be found."

"Right. I heard about those rumors. And if she's one of the missing two, then where's her windy titan Goddess that's suppose to be close to her side?" Tomoe began to laugh again.

Michiru felt as if her face was on fire, though she couldn't figure out why. A deep sadness peeled out from her heart, and she swallowed, wanting to make it go away. Her brain was frozen at a stand still, confused at their conversation. A tiny part of her mind broke free and began to speak in a tiny voice.

Haruka. Haruka knew a lot about how the winds worked. Even though she spent most of her life at sea, she knew exactly where to place the sails. The bar maiden had spent hours total listening to the sea captain talk fondly of her times with the sails alone. Even though Diamond's logic in no way fit anything of Michiru and anyone close to her, a part of her felt better thinking about the strange pirate captain.

Her throat tightened, knowing that everyone in that cavern was mad—it was very possible that she wouldn't be seeing the blonde again. Or the life that she had worked so hard to build up. Oberon and the _Ariel_. And she was at their mercy, which wasn't really much at all, save for Diamond, who appeared to be attracted to her.

"You'll be appeased," said Diamond, reasonable. He moved to one of the chairs closer to the console and sat in it, one leg crossed over the other. He shrugged. "You'll get to do your experiments, but you'll transform her as well—two birds with one stone. You _know_ how long the process takes the first time around."

Tomoe leaned against the large mechanical object, the gears in his head visibly turning. Michiru instinctively lifted her head and looked at the two as they decided her fate as if she wasn't there. No matter how many times her life had been threatened, the shock and fear never once dulled. Her abdomen tingled; and she swallowed. She watched Tomoe's eyes light up.

"You're right," he pondered out loud.

Without turning around, the scientist flipped a lever. The thing behind him suddenly came alive, buttons lighting up, and a hum emanated from it. The tiny hairs on Michiru's arms and legs stood on end, a shiver running down her spine. She watched everything unfold in front of her, helpless to do anything, seeing what was going to happen; knowing what was going to happen before it hit her.

Light exploded from her eyes, though this time it was different. Not that it mattered anyway—it still felt the same as before. Colors moved all around her, and she wasn't sure if what she was seeing was real, or just the electricity shooting through her. The sound of the current sounded in her ears, blotting out any other sounds around her, including her own screams.

Then suddenly it stopped, her body relaxed. There was a piercing silence, and it took her quite a few moments to realize that there was a form directly in front of her. It was Diamond, she realized. And after another few moments, she realized that he was speaking to her, though it was hard to make out at first.

"It may hurt now," he said, his voice soft and gentle, "but you'll be freed once it is complete. You'll be fully awakened to your abilities, my dear."

"Please stop," she heard herself say. In her own ears, her voice sounded tiny and weak; she hated hearing herself that way.

"It will be over soon," he replied, a smile on his face. A hand reached out to stroke her her aqua colored hair; she had no energy to shove it away. She noticed that the pink haired young woman was standing right next to him, her delicate lips opened in a curious 'o' shape as she observed the bar maiden.

And then it happened again. It was exactly like the time before, and she felt as if she was being torn in half. Michiru was confused, not used to feeling like two halves, even over the pain of the electricity. She was blinded once more, though she could have sworn that the light was golden this time around; brighter, if that was even possible. It was worse because she could feel emotions this time, instead of having them blotted out by the pure current. It was strange, wrong. It kept happening, repeatedly, with only a moment or two as a break.

She was unaware of the passing of time, and lost count of how many pauses there were. But Tomoe kept working, as the pink haired woman continued to watch Michiru with an almost child-like curiosity. But the aqua haired woman saw the pure cruelty in her eyes, and avoided looking at her.

Light exploded just in front of her, after what felt like hours. Her head shook, and a tiny part of her realized that it was unusual, something unlike all the other times before. The bar maiden's body fell underneath her, her mind suddenly very clear and alert. At first everything around her sounded quiet—until her hearing began to clear.

Sounds of things breaking and shattering echoed in the cavernous room, making the bar maiden flinch because of how awesome and overwhelming it sounded. Yells and war screams echoed out clashing against one another as the sounds of people fighting reached her ears.

Michiru raised her head, and found everything around her all too bright; she shifted uncomfortably. A dark form began to take shape, and the bar maiden at first thought that it was Diamond—but it was too soft, smaller than the nobleman. Smaller details began to take shape and she noticed amber-colored eyes, short cascading hair. White, silver, and blue.

It was Elios.

Time unfroze, and he was suddenly inches from her, his eyes radiating more emotion than she had seen in what felt like a long time. Her head rolled, and she barely caught his words, "We will get you out of here, my lady," and then she knew nothing more.

* * *

**AN:**

Thanks for the reviews, Petiyaka!


	10. Act Eight

**Act Eight: Secretly Coveted**

"Michiru... Michiru!" shouted a voice.

The voice sounded as if it came from the other end of a tunnel. The bar maiden shook her head, and adjusted her grip on the cloth that she held over the half-cleaned table. It had been several days since she had regained conscienceness, and just a bit longer before the shock of everything hit her. So much had happened, and she didn't know how to deal with it, except—

"_Michiru_!"

The bar maiden lifted her head to look up at the barkeeper Oberon. —Except to go back to work and shift through it as she did her daily chores, and spend time with some of the regulars. She wiped a few stray locks of hair behind her ears before looking up and giving him a small smile. Like always, he was quick at knowing when there was something off in Michiru's life, and was quick to point it out. Even if she didn't talk about it. The gentle giant let it go, allowing her to work it out for herself.

"My dear, you seem even dreamier than normal," he said with a kind smile on his face. Oberon came up to her and cupped the side of her face as an understanding father would. "It is as if, instead of a world resting between your shoulders, there is an entire universe." He chuckled.

Michiru smiled back, her eyes half shut. "I did not realize that I was that out of it, Oberon." She dropped the rag back into the wooden bucket with a splash, murky water sprinkling the table.

He gave her a sideways look, before speaking again. "There are some letters for you. I've actually had them for quite a few days, but decided to wait until you looked a little better. You are a bit worse for wear, my dear."

Michiru frowned. Her mind immediately went to Haruka, but she dismissed it just as quickly. The blonde sea captain seemed like the type, if she ever did get a letter written, to deliver it to her in person, and embellish it as she went along reading. "I will get it towards the end of the day," she decided.

"But you mentioned that you would be leaving your shift early," the barkeeper reminded her.

"I'll come back for it," she said with the wave of a hand.

After her shift she would be headed back to _Menarsia _to see how the young couple was doing—and, though it was hard to admit it to herself, she wanted to see the doll. For a while, since Haruka had even mentioned the doll, she was curious about what it looked like. What _she_ looked like. The blonde sea captain probably didn't even know that she was transporting an actual human being. As well as the fact of how powerful this girl was—even though she wasn't quite alive. When Elios had tried to explain it, Michiru found that she was still confused.

Finally, she felt that she could put everything behind her and return to the hotel; and curiosity _had _gotten the better of the bar maiden. Michiru, if she dared to actually sit down and think about the first few moments of waking up, the memories were bright as if she were living them again. Those hours in the cave felt like a nightmare, a pain so terrible it made her shrink away—an unusual reaction for the bar maiden. And the people? They all felt like characters that her mind had derived and had thrown at her.

If it weren't for Elios being there, she probably would have believed those thoughts. If it weren't for Elios, she would have been dead—or worse.

* * *

Her conscienceness slowly put itself together, bit by bit; and when she finally opened her eyes, she found that there was a fog all around her. Her eyelids were heavy, so she closed them again, her mind bumping back and forth between reality and the strange fog. Michiru knew that there were people moving all around her, fluttering around like butterflies, and their voices soft like a lullaby. She tried a few more times to open her eyes, and after a few more tries, she could finally make out the figures in front of her.

Underneath her was a soft bed; like a cloud. She was warm, and she was almost tempted to go back to sleep—but something in the back of her mind tugged at her. Something dark and weighted, something she didn't want to face began to spread through her mind. The bar maiden remembered the shocks—and her head pounded as if she was hit again. She opened her eyes, not realizing that she had closed them once more, and found that there was someone standing in front of her.

"How are you feeling?"

It was Elios. His voice was soft, calming. His amber eyes observed her with a sort of pain skirting the edges of them; he looked like he hadn't slept in at least two days. Behind him bustled two silvery-haired women, one carrying a silver tray with a porcelain basin perched on top. The room around them was bright, open, as well as comfortable. The main colors were white and gold, plants dotting the large room. Curtains fluttered from the sea air. One of the women stopped by another bed, not unlike the one Michiru was reclined in. In it was the pink haired maiden—the probable root of Elios' pain.

It took Michiru a few moments to speak, overwhelmed by everything around her. She opened and closed her mouth a few times. Licked her lips when she realized how dry they were. "I'm fine," she decided, even though that didn't even feel quite right. Not really the truth. The aqua haired woman sat up slowly, cautiously. Piles of blankets shifted around her—had she been cold? The air around her was fresh and cool, with a warm edge to it.

Elios nodded slowly, as if he didn't believe her, but he seemed to accept her reply. He glanced over his shoulder, leaving Michiru to her own thoughts and memories. The darkness, the cavern, the chandelier hanging from the top.

"Where were we?" she asked. Her voice sounded soft and so small even to her. It scared her, and made her feel even smaller.

The hotel owner jerked in surprise, and returned his attention to her. He winced, and she almost thought that he wasn't going to answer her, but then he sighed before speaking.

"Tarturous," he said slowly. He was then looking down at the well-polished floor, checkered light blue and white. "Somehow, they—the scientists and the Queen's court—were able to open a doorway here, and were able to hide under our very noses. They took a small piece of Tarturous so that they were able to have their own rooms to conduct their experiments."

He laughed bitterly. "They're now able to even warp parts of the underworld to do their own bidding. And again I was their fool."

"I think that not knowing that someone had hell in one of your hotel rooms is understandable. That's something that shouldn't be possible."

"Yes," he agreed, as he shifted his weight in the chair he had been sitting in, "something that shouldn't be possible." He seemed to relax at her comment.

Michiru found that she had been staring at the sleeping maiden, when Helios finally looked back up at her. It took her a moment before she realized that there was a silence. "Is she going to be all right?"

The color drained from his face, and the bar maiden regretted even asking. When Elios realized that he was so tense, he relaxed his shoulders. "I hope so," he finally answered. "They've done so much to her. To you as well."

"What did they do?" she asked. She rubbed her forehead as she began to try to shove the hazy memories back. "They accused me of being some sort of holy warrior. I've never done any sort of fighting, let alone work for some great queen."

"One question at a time my lady," the hotel owner said, placing a gentle, warm hand on her shoulder. He forced a tired smile.

"Khaos has been hosting a series of experiments that first started out on just simple town's people. Strange, horrible experiments that tore their very souls out of them. Of course the people that were used for such things died right after whatever these scientists tore right out of them. These were just ordinary, innocent people that they tortured.

"Eventually it caught the attention of my Queen, and she sent forces to tear down Khaos. But these people are very slippery—hard to find, as you must have seen. As soon as we found one lab, another would pop up, and the first would disappear, literally when our backs were turned. Who knows what they have been doing in their own lands?

"The head of Khaos had always known about the Queen's soldiers, though none of us could have guessed what those experiments had originally been for—until they finally captured one of our own." Elios shook his head, brushing a lock of silvery hair away from his face distractedly. "It was recent, and we don't know if the damage done to the only other transformed soldier can be undone."

He went silent for a few moments, and Michiru patiently waited for him to continue. He looked like a man who carried the weight of the world, illogically blaming all that happened on himself. Though the bar maiden could understand—had that soldier been transformed in his very hotel, the _Menarsia_?

"The only way I can understand how these experiments work, is that they take the soldier's soul, their _star seed_, right out of their very bodies. And this way they are able to be controlled and twisted." He glanced over at the sleeping princess, before reading the questioning look on the bar maiden's face. "Their _star seeds_ are a source of great power, and as long as it is not shattered, a soldier can continue to live without it. Though the source is kept within them because of the chance of it being used against them—just like what happened in the cave.

"I didn't think such a thing was possible, until I had seen it with my own eyes." Michiru quickly realized that he was regarding herself and the Princess. "My Queen suspects that many of Khaos' court and the higher ranked people surrounding the leader have had the same process done to them. We've never even _seen _their ruler."

Stiffly, the young man got up, stretching his shoulders and legs. Michiru sank back down into the pillows, the weight on her shoulders suddenly weighing her back down. "So I almost died," she mumbled.

Elios was now at the side of the pink haired princess, his back turned towards the bar maiden. Slowly, he reached down and picked up a delicate, pale hand. Michiru almost expected her to move from the gesture, but still she slept on.

"You weren't close to dying, my lady," he said. His voice was quiet and emotionless. He now had the Princess' hand between the two of his, as he slowly began to warm them up. "I suspect that you are one of the ten soldiers. You would have died after the first or second strike. Not all ten of the warriors have been found," he reminded her.

"For a while, four of the remaining soldiers were hidden, while the other four were in the Queen's service. The Queen herself and the Princess are the final two, though we hope to never have them set foot inside a battlefield. That of course is a last resort.

"The Queen's own mother had kept track of these soldiers, until her untimely death—and then all of that information was lost. Fortunately, one of them kept tabs, however she decided to remain a leader in her own country, instead of working as a warrior for the Queen. The other's _star seed_ had literally been ripped out by Khoas and shattered from the force—she was the first warrior to have such things done to her." Finally, he glanced over to look at the stunned bar maiden, but he continued with his train of thought. "Of course you have heard about her—the doll?"

"But what about me?" Michiru found that she had snapped at him, anger and fear the most dominant emotions in her mind. Her voice echoed in the room. She was now sitting up and ignoring the wave of dizziness that invaded her mind. The bar maiden put a fist to her heart. "What am I? How do you know?" Before the hotel owner could speak, she added bitterly, "And don't give me that 'you didn't die' shit."

She nearly sat back at the lash of her own anger. Michiru was not normally one to throw around curses, and the sound of her voice shocked even her. She also felt embarrassed at losing her own temper.

"I do not have any other proof to give you," he said quietly. Well, at least he was completely honest. The aqua haired maiden hated him even more because of that—because he was so kind and gentle, and yet he still looked guilty for everything. "I can sense it from you is all that I can say. The only way that you would know for sure, is to go to the Queen herself. Only the Queen would be able to see her own soldiers—that is unless they wanted to remain hidden."

Michiru would rather have remained hidden. She bit the inside of her cheek as she forced back her temper and fear. "And I suppose you know who the remaining soldier is?" she asked sarcastically. In reality, she didn't really want to know—she wanted to know as little as possible about this distant kingdom that this hotel owner served. She had nothing to do with it. _Wanted_ nothing to do with it. An ordinary life was what she wanted. A simple life.

Elios shook his head. Gently, he placed the maidens hand back down on the bed, before bending over to kiss her forehead. Michiru turned her head away, giving him some semblance of privacy.

"I do not know the answer to that question."

The bar maiden finally decided that it was time to try and leave. Slowly she moved her weight sideways, throwing her legs over the edge of the bed. She noticed that the hotel manager had moved a hand out to stop her, but he hesitated and let her get her way.

Michiru had to admit to herself that she was afraid of standing, as a wave of dizziness hit her head. She stopped when her feet touched the floor, and took a couple of deep breaths. Slowly the dizziness abated, and she tried again at moving—this time standing to her full height. She slid slowly off of the bed, weighing how her mind felt as gravity slowly changed. Resting a hand on the soft mattress for balance, she finally stood erect before looking at Elios.

"I think I am going to leave," she said calmly. So far the dizziness didn't return, but she knew that she would have to be careful on her journey home.

"Return when you are well, my lady," Elios said. He stood straight, his back to the sleeping maiden's bed. "We still have a bit to discuss—that of the doll if you are willing. I feel it only fair to show you her because of all that you sacrificed."

She knew that he was tempting her, and she knew how curious she was and that she would take the bait in the end. Slowly she nodded.

* * *

It was midday when the bar maiden finally made it out of the _Ariel_. The sounds of people entered her ears, conversations, yelling, cursing, laughing. Fish shone like bright silver light when the sun hit them, the seller's throwing them into baskets. Exotic fruit dotted other stands, swollen and fresh, just for the taking. The scent of fresh bread and cooked meat combined with the fresh salty air.

Michiru had a hard time admitting to herself that the island town had already earned back her trust, even after all that had happened on it. It was a hard place to hate or distrust. In the daylight people seemed to be at ease, relaxing after long voyages.

She passed through level after subtle level through winding stairs, rising higher towards the _Menarsia_. Shutters of houses were wide open, as wives spilled heavy buckets of soiled water out of windows. More shops, more stands piled one on top of the other, selling clothes and jewelry of varying qualities; more bakeries. Hotels were mixed in amongst the organized chaos. Michiru didn't know this part of the town as well, used to the outer fringes as well as the below decks, where she of course lived.

More prominent townspeople lived around the upper floors of _Elysia_, but of course, class wasn't as much of an issue like other lands. Most of the population contained sailors, pirates, and other assorted travelers, but if one struck it rich on one of those lucky voyages, they could make their way upwards and spend what they had. The economy was based on the peoples' mentality—work hard and party hard. Most didn't bother to save their money.

Though occasionally there was the high ranker from an exotic—or even—close by land. The aqua haired bar maiden remembered the hushed and excited whispers from her companions at the _Ariel_ about the courtesan of Piscia. Michiru wished almost bitterly that she could have seen the woman and heard the tales that she would have told. She guessed that was why the _Menarsia_ was built in the first place.

Elios had also alluded, during their short and strained conversation, that there were indeed royals who visited the hotel regularly, albeit secretly. Michiru slowly put it together that it was probably from that land he was always going on about, where that strange _Queen_ resided.

For a moment, she glanced over her shoulder to see how far she had come. Down below, she saw the deep reds and oranges of roof tops, and lanterns hanging serenely from poles, which were at the moment unlit because of the bright daylight. Lacing almost delicately around from what she could see of the coast of the island, were the sails of ships. They waved magnificently in the wind, and were of all shapes, sizes, and colors.

Eventually, after her wandering walk upwards, she made it to the rich, marbled doors of the hotel. Part of her knew that she had been procrastinating—she didn't want to hear anything about these holy warriors that she had been hearing so much about, and how she somehow had something to do with them. Which she didn't. But she wanted to see the doll—see the very same thing that Haruka had seen and make some sort of real connection with the blonde haired pirate captain.

Richly dressed gentlemen bowed to her before opening the doors. They were dressed in the same colors of the hotel, their wigs powdered white, shoes clicking evenly across the ground. Soft, cool air greeted her, as well as the Menard maidens, each bowing their heads lightly before leading her farther into the hotel. Michiru noted to herself that they were probably the very same two women that had waited on the Princess while she slept.

In front of them contained the grand staircase, leading to the higher levels of the hotel, where the majority of the rooms were contained. Around her bustled more of the staff, a cook carrying a silver tray, laden with something heavy—though covered. More maidens trailed about the place, whispering gossip to each other as they moved along in twos and threes. A gardener watered a small, large leafed tree with a watering can.

The bar maiden was suddenly very aware of how under dressed she looked. She wore what she wore most days—an apron, and a head rag, a customary style of dress where she worked—and under the apron, a well-loved dress, that showed off her rather curvacious body. And of course, to make her feel even more hyper aware of this fact, were splatters of assorted food and drinks that got spilled onto her during her work day.

Her escorts guided her away from the staircase and into the inner workings of the hotel. One of them, in a soft voice, told her that they were taking her to Elios' quarters where he was waiting for her.

Through the maze they went, through passageways, hallways, all intertwined. Soon Michiru wouldn't be able to find her way around if she wanted to get out on her own. All around her bustled even more of the staff; maids carrying freshly cleaned and folded linen; others carrying heavy metal tools to fix things around the hotel; and she could smell food cooking. All sorts, though she couldn't identify many of them, their smells exotic. She soon noticed pipes overhead, steaming filtering out of them with a soft hiss. Mostly windows lit the way, the bright midday sunlight showing through cleaned curtains in spots of gold.

Eventually, they came to what the bar maiden guessed to be the back of the hotel, the ceilings a bit lower, and the pipework had wandered around somewhere else. Wooden doors blocked off any peaking eyes, and heavy bronzed door knobs adorned them. At the end of the hall, she noticed that one of the doors was opened, more golden light filtering through.

It was Elios' office, and she came to a stop at his doorway, the menard maidens moving on to give them privacy, but not before giving the hotel owner a slight bow. The room was small, cramped, and made even more cramped by all the bookshelves against the walls, all crammed with leather books with golden or silvered edges. A lantern hung from the ceiling, though it was now not burning because of the natural light from the large, wide widow at the other end of the small room. In front of the window was the silver haired young man, who pored over a thickly bound book on a heavy, well polished desk.

He at first didn't notice the aqua haired maiden, scrawling numbers across a thick piece of parchment with a quill—a quill! How old fashioned was that? She cleared her throat when she became impatient, and the young man jumped—but not before lifting the pen away from the paper.

Elios smiled warmly, putting the pen down on the desk. "Ah," he said, "Welcome back."

Michiru didn't know what to say; she clamped her hands right in front of her, and waited for him to get up to go. Carefully, neatly, he placed the pen inside of a narrow drawer, before closing the book with a soft thump. He slid it to the side and rolled up the parchment, and finally he stood on his feet.

"This way," he said.

Instead of going back the way she had come, he merely crossed the narrow hall, and felt around the flat wall. Eventually, his fingers felt a well camouflaged crack, before prying open a part of the wall—a hidden door. Elios felt the bar maiden staring at him, and he grinned sheepishly. It was the youngest she had ever seen him, a smile that revealed his true age.

On that train of thought, she asked him, "How old are you?"

They moved into the darkness, and Elios waited for her to get by him before closing the door behind them. Along the way was candle light, allowing them to see ahead of them, and it took Michiru a few moments to realize that they were even there. It was so dim. The tunnel was made of unpolished, rough stone; she could hear water dripping from somewhere off. The pipe work reappeared, bronze, golden, and silver. Elios took the lead after a few moments of making sure the door was secured, and they moved underneath the hotel.

"I'm seventeen," he answered.

"That's young!" she blurted.

The silver haired young man chuckled, and looked over his shoulders. Then his tone was more serious. "I was raised in aristocracy in the outskirts of _Lune_. My parents died when I was very young, and the Queen somehow took notice of me, and handled the rest of my training. Eager to please her, I worked harder, and even trained for priest hood."

Michiru was surprised at that. So young of a boy—younger than he was now—and he had already decided to remain celibate and a scholar of religion. "But—" she prompted him.

"I saw her daughter." Even though his back was facing her as they walked, she could literally feel him smiling.

They began to climb a narrow stairway, and the bar maiden was able to look up and observe more of the pipework. It webbed and wound its way upward; Michiru was awed.

"I fell in love when I first saw her—and I am not at all the sort to believe in love at first sight. It made me feel so awkward, so unsure of myself, that I ran away. The Queen, soon after I first met her, said that my parents had left me some property. In Elysia.

"My Queen didn't at all realize my feelings for her daughter, and I felt it a wise move on my part, at first, but she worried about me for some reason. Worried that I wouldn't travel, see the world. The lady believed that I still wanted to be a priest, so she encouraged me to take the opportunity, and become head of this hotel. So I took the chance.

"Even though I am rather stationary, I am still exposed to so many different peoples—it is almost overwhelming."

"I take it the princess found out about your love?"

Elios cleared his throat. "I think she guessed from the start—I am a very easily read person, to my luck. She sent me letters as often as she could. And then she snuck on a ship to visit me as a surprise. And that was where Khaos caught her—I didn't even know she had arrived here, until the King and Queen communicated with me."

They finally arrived to the top of the stairs, Michiru almost out of breath. Elios began to feel around the wall like he had done before. The brick where he felt around looked loose, and just slightly out of place—he began to peal it open, and a shard of light broke through.

"But everything is okay now—and the princess is saved. By you no less," Michiru said kindly.

His smile was embarrassed and small. "Yes, but the damage is already done."

A thought popped into the bar maiden's head. "Will I actually be talking to the Princess?"

She had never spoken to anyone of royalty, a princess or queen. Maybe a lord here or there, but never anyone who ruled an entire country. They never came to the outer fringes of _Elysia_; never came at all, except to get off of their ship—or so she had originally thought.

Elios' smile widened at that. "Yes you will be. She is awake and alert now. Usagi is still a bit weak, but she is almost herself." Then his look darkened. "Though she remembers mere seconds of what was done to her—fortunately none of her darker side, and what she was made to do."

Michiru stayed silent as they walked out into the bright white light. She was momentarily blinded as she came to the outside, so she hardly knew where she actually was in the hotel. By the time the vague shapes began to sharpen, the hotel manager had already closed the hidden door. Out of curiosity, she turned around to look at the wall, trying to see the vague outline of door—she could see none. Still blinking rapidly as her eyes still struggled to get used to the light, she followed Elios up a series of five steps.

On the landing below, where they had just come from, the floor was of polished, white marble, just like the lower floors, the stairs fringed with gold, as well as the bottoms of the high walls. Above them was the domed ceiling, closer than ever before. A table stood against the balcony, overlooking the grand foyer. A thick volume lay open, a quill right next to it.

Before them, where they stood, was a wide, well lit hall, and every so often were arched doorways, leading into the richly kept rooms. Under the bar maiden's leather sandals was the soft carpet, making her feet spring as they moved. Elios soon told her, as they moved towards the Princess's quarters, that they were on the upper most floor. He didn't want to take any chances of her getting kidnapped again, and there were even guards posted at the doorway when they came towards the end of the hall.

Elios stopped next to one of the guards, the far one opening the door for them. Michiru made a step forward, but hesitated. The hotel owner had not moved.

"You're not going in?" she asked, confused.

He smiled once more, but she knew that it was forced. It didn't reach his amber eyes, and instead they looked sad. "I cannot join you—I don't deserve to." He forced a chuckle. "I've been a very irresponsible person."

"If she cares for you..." the aqua haired maiden started. "It wasn't your..."

She stopped herself, and looked down at the floor. She had meant to say 'it wasn't your fault.' It was truly none of her business, she felt, even after all that he told her. It was his choice—and she had some experience with so called love and its choices. Finally she stepped into the room, and as she looked around her, the door closed with a soft click. Quickly she realized it was the same room that she had woken up in—only the smaller bed had been moved out. Her bed.

The Princess, Usagi, as Elios had called her, sat on the large, square bed. At first the pink haired maiden didn't notice her, poring over what appeared to be a fashion magazine. Michiru smiled to herself when it dawned on her how young this princess was. An adolescent youth. The young lady chewed on her thumb nail distractedly, when she finally felt an alien presence in the room.

She jumped, her red colored eyes widening in surprise—before a warm smile appeared on her face. Michiru could see that she was still exhausted however, her eyes appearing haggard. The Princess pulled her thumb nail away, resting her delicate hand onto the sheets. She appeared to recognize the bar maiden, but it could have been the older woman's imagination and eagerness to be noticed by someone of such a high rank. Michiru was not the type to brown nose her way around when she saw anyone that was famous, but it was still human to want to be noticed at all.

The aqua haired woman gasped when she realized that she had forgotten her manners. She reached for the sides of her dress and began a curtsy—when Usagi raised a hand, color rising to the young woman's cheeks.

"Please don't," she started. Her voice was deceptively soft, though Michiru could catch the hint of the strong notes underneath. Demanding, perhaps spoiled, but that could have just been the stereotype. "I get tired of all the bowing, and the 'yes princess's or 'yes your majesty's—it was why I came here."

She stopped herself, and then she truly looked tired, all of the child like energy gone. Michiru wanted to say something, but instead she felt compelled to move forward. The bar maiden padded towards the young princess, until she came to the side of the bed. Gently, she sat next to the Princess, wrapping her arms around the girl's small form. She wondered how many laws and customs she was breaking, but it felt like the right thing to do.

Usagi rested her head on her shoulder, and sank her weight a bit, like she had really needed that kind of attention all along. It took the bar maiden a moment to realize that she was speaking again.

"You know, I was so happy to see someone so beautiful right next to me—you know—in that room. I was so embarrassed though, so I tried to keep myself quiet and make myself as small as possible." She laughed inspire of herself. "Then I felt so terrible because you were even there—then everything blanked out.

"You know what?" she said, lifting her head so that she could look at Michiru in the eyes. "I'm glad I don't remember anything. I heard about what had happened to General Mizuno, and all the things that she did afterward—willingly. I don't even know how that was possible. It was probably what they did to her. I was so sad, and so scared that the same thing was going to happen to you. The same thing that was going to happen to _Hotaru_."

Michiru kept her arms around the young woman, despite all of the confusion that she felt. The Princess had been worried about _her_? Usagi should have been more worried about herself, she was more valuable than an ordinary bar maiden. She rested her aqua head on top of the Princess's while she continued to ramble on. It seemed to help her feel better. For a brief moment, she felt a flare of anger at Elios—he had not been there to comfort someone that he cared deeply for. But the anger fizzled away.

"Hotaru had been one of my closest friends at the palace—the only person who treated me like a normal person. She was training to be a doctor you know. It's complete magic what they do, and I was happy for her. Her father took her away, and did those things to her, those strange, horrible experiments—and something worse happened to her.

"I haven't seen her in years, and didn't know, until I saw her for myself. Mama said that she could be fixed. That was the other reason why I had come here. I over heard it from her soldiers when they spoke in hushed whispers. I know my way around that palace, every secret place—so they didn't even know that I was there."

She went silent after a while, she had been crying a little bit before that. Michiru could feel her shaking underneath her, and she stroked her hair and shoulder blades, hoping that the gesture would comfort her. The bar maiden could feel the sea breeze moving in through the window, caressing her hair, and cooling the sheets. Finally the Princess lifted her head, looking out of the window, as the same breeze dried her tears. The girl breathed slowly as she composed herself.

"I suppose that you should see the doll." Her voice was steady, calm, as if the last few moments had not happened. Stiffly she moved forward, passed Michiru until she slid off of the bed and she was standing.

"I do not need to see the doll. If it hurts you so," Michiru said. Her voice sounded quiet against the expanse of the room. The bar maiden now stood facing the Princess, only a couple inches taller than the young girl. She suddenly felt guilty about her own curiosity.

Usagi shook her head. "No. You're involved in this, and I believe that you should see everything." She put her hand on the bar maiden's shoulder. "After all that you've been through and because of me, I think that you should see everything."

Without another word, the Princess moved into an adjoining room. There was no door blocking off access, but a wide, columned archway. The room was dark, save for the light that filtered in from the main room. The curtains were closed, and the room smelled of dust as if it had been a while since someone had been in it, yet at the same time, it felt respectful.

The Princess moved ahead into the darkness, moving towards the floor-to-ceiling window, and spread open the curtains. Light exploded into the room, reflecting off of the marble, shattering against the walls. The small room was empty—save for a box in the center of the room. It was a narrow crate, made of cheap, flexible wood. The Princess knelt by it as she touched the top. Michiru turned away when she saw a tear falling down the young girl's face.

Finally, with another heavy sigh, the Princess carefully, respectfully lifted the crate top, and slid it away from herself, until it was resting on the floor. The bar maiden felt as if her whole body was made of lead because it felt so hard for her to move, even though her curiosity begged her to go forward. In a couple of steps she could see the sleeping—or dead—figure in the crate. She knelt down right next to Usagi.

Now she knew why the Princess's friend was called a doll. Her skin was porcelain, her hair dark, and so straight that it would have taken a straightening iron. Her lips were small and curved, like that of a girl's toy. The "doll's" eyes were closed, and fringing them were thick, dark eye lashes. Covering her from the shoulders down was a soft blanket, so Michiru didn't see the vines that Haruka had described in her stories.

But Usagi reached under the blanket, so careful and gentle, grabbing the sleeping girl's hand. They looked almost real, and it took Michiru a moment to realize that the long fingers contained joints, and when the shadows hit them, she could see the intricate vine work moving up her hands and up her arm.

"Most of her body is like this, all the porcelain." The Princess shook her head, but never pulled her eyes away from the doll's face. "She's always been like this. All of it—I don't know how she moved, but she moved like anyone else. Her dad helped her. Made all of the limbs; he was a magician. Then they were both gone.

"She was always talking about how she always wanted a normal life, and that she was indebted to her father because the limbs allowed her to at least try for it. That was why she wanted to be a doctor—it would give her the chance, and the many others she would have helped, the chance to be normal. But then just as quickly as her father gave her the chance, he took it away...

"We both kind of hoped to live a normal life. We would come up with stories, impossible fairy tales really, about how we would run away—for my sake, I was a princess, and she could have that average, boring life—and live on some huge continent where no one could find us." The Princess began to laugh bitterly.

The pink haired girl was suddenly looking up at the older woman, though the bar maiden was at a loss for words. Michiru suddenly felt guilty, almost selfish at having somewhat the average life that the girl so wanted. She, too, understood that need for normalcy. There still felt like there were things missing, like there was some kind of hole in the middle of her chest.

* * *

Towards the end of the day, Michiru finally dropped by the _Ariel_, remembering that there was a letter waiting for her. Oberon was wiping off tables, the pub quiet in between rushes. Other bar maidens cleaned and carried the heavy mugs to the back before returning to pick up soiled plates. The owner of the pub immediately noticed the aqua haired woman and a smile rose to his face.

"Come for an extra shift, my dear?" he asked.

"Hardly." She stepped up towards one of the stools, resting her weight into it, glad for the short break. Her feet ached from the full day left behind her. "I came for the letter that you said had come in. I apologize for not getting it sooner, but I had a lot on my plate for the passed few days. I had completely forgotten about it until now."

"It's no problem," replied the older man, as he finished up with the counter. He tucked the rag into a pocket at the front of his apron.

Michiru turned her head to the side. "Who is the letter from? Did the envelope say?"

"I don't quite remember who. From the thickness of it, it seemed like a love letter from a suitor."

Michiru sighed heavily as Oberon disappeared into the kitchens where his work quarters were buried. Occasionally there would be a particularly aggressive suitor after the aqua haired woman's heart, with things like poetry, or even buying her hundreds of roses—to even following her where ever she went. Through these suitors, she learned to keep up a sort of mental wall, a sort of coldness, that scared away anyone who tried tried to break through. It was surprising that she had one after so long—and Michiru suddenly began to worry if those walls were crumbling and people were able to see through.

Minutes later, the older man came back out, carrying a thick, cream colored envelope, almost bursting from so many sheets of parchment that had been stuffed into it. He stopped in front of her, a wicked grin on his face. He rubbed his beard with the other hand. "Hmmm, says that it's from a Haruka Tenoh," he pondered out loud, watching the bar maiden's eyes widen in surprise. She reached out to grab it from him, and he yanked out of her grasp playfully.

"Stop it!" Michiru said, still reaching out for the over stuffed enveloped.

Laughter rumbled from deep inside the old man's throat, and finally he relinquished the letter, Michiru grabbing it away greedily. The aqua haired woman seemed to forget everything around her, as she looked down at the thick paper, her eyes wide, almost disbelieving of the envelope's existence. Slowly, she sank into a chair at an empty table, her fingers shakily trying to pry the seal open, though too afraid to put any rough force because it would have torn the envelope the wrong way.

The woman had very little of any chance to worry about the awol captain. What in Neptune's name had caused the blonde to disappear? She knew that Haruka loved her ship and its crew more than her own life, but the bar maiden still missed her terribly. The letter finally came lose, freed from the envelope, which she placed neatly on the clean table. Immediately her eyes were pulled into the sea captain's words.

_Michiru,_

_I am deeply sorry for any stress that I may have caused you—I know that it has been months since I have last seen you._

_ Something from my past life has come up at present, calling me backwards through time—at least it feels like that, though it is hardly nostalgia. Normally I don't like mixing the two lives, and I leave out this life from you because it is hard to talk about. Now I have the time, and I feel it only right to tell you. Maybe it will help to heal old wounds and make sense of what is going on now..._

_ Just so I warn you, this was before I knew who I was, and of a first conquest, no matter how clumsy it was. I was quite the awkward, bumbling little creature, and I am almost too embarrassed to tell you. Perhaps I will not send this along..._

"Michiru, perhaps you will be more comfortable reading the letter in the comforts of your home. It looks like quite a hefty thing," said Oberon, pulling her out of the spell that she had been yanked into. He rested a hand gently on her shoulder.

Michiru silently nodded, almost unwillingly folding the letter back up, placing it carefully back into the cream envelope. She left the Ariel without looking back to say goodbye to her companions, eager to get home quickly, and continue the tale. It was dusk, the skies smattered with reds, oranges, and purples. The wind was warm and strong, and Michiru was almost tempted to find a place to sit outside where there would be a lantern to read the letter. She thought against it: a lone woman out at night, no matter how safe Elysia felt, was not a wise thing to do...

* * *

**AN:**

Haha You're welcome Petiyaka! ^_~


	11. Act Nine

**Act Nine: Adventures in the Past and Present**

It was pitch black outside, and the only way that the carriage driver was able to see ahead of him were the lights up ahead. The darkness was oppressive, ghostly shadows trailing out from the wheels because of the harsh rain. The rain picked up, falling from the blackness in fat drops. It was just turning to autumn, so the air was still warm, though the wind, when it did pick up, was cool and threatening.

The carriage bumped, as it hit the cobblestones. It had been a dirt path before hand, bumpy because of the fat, uneven stones. Horses clop-clopped evenly against the hard pathway, the sound of wheels being buried under the sound of the rain. They were in town now, the clock tower showing like a bright, tall candle in the distance. The road widened up, surrounding a fountain that had been turned off. On either side of the carriage stood closed shops and houses. Mostly houses.

"We'll be there soon, Captain," Proteus said, his warm voice piercing the silence inside of the small space.

Haruka didn't answer, still looking out of the glass window closest to her, watching the mist against the darkness. The only way her new first in command could tell that she had heard him was the slight tensing of her shoulders. Ever since the news, her jaw line had been set, tightened at an angle. Proteus kept his mouth shut, helpless to say anything that would make his captain smile with the usual humor in her eyes.

The captain was in garb totally different from her normal choices. Just that morning, as soon as they docked, her hair was curled with a hot iron, and hanging from her ears were large chandelier earrings. She wore a lace bodice over a white blouse, puffed out at the sleeves. Her skirt was of the same patterns as the bodice, long and flowing. She was dressed like a Lady of the court.

Some of the crew joined her on this mission, the closest and the ones that she trusted the most—she didn't want any questions. Three sat on the inside, those that would stand as her guards, while the remaining two stood in the back, getting drenched. At this moment, Haruka missed Ouranös sorely. Another face slowly began forming in her head, which she quickly shoved to the back of her mind. But it was too late—her heart started to hammer and ache. It cut too close to what was happening now. Uncomfortable, she shifted her weight so that her head was against the glass, and she closed her eyes so that she could listen to the pounding of the rain.

The sound of the rain became deafening, sucking the words out of Proteus' throat. No advice for now, maybe she just needed the silence.

The two remaining people in the carriage stayed silent. They were non-identical twins, named Puck and Cupid, respectively. Both had wild red hair, and one kept his hair in a lose ponytail at the nape of his neck, while the other had his cropped shorter—that was how Haruka and the rest of the crew could tell them apart if ever drunk: The shorter haired man was Puck, while the last was Cupid. Puck was a more rounder version of his scarecrow-liked brother, with an impish look in his eye. Cupid was the more dreamier of the two.

Though they seemed harmless, both had trained to be musketeers in their country, and both were were highly skilled with the sword and pistol. Like the rest of her crew, Haruka never once interrogated too deeply into their pasts and their reasons for joining the motley crew of the _Iphis_. Proteus, the more curious of the two, didn't even hear a lick of gossip out of the other men, save for pure speculation. He suspected that their names were fake, however they were able to easily prove their sword talents when entering hand-to-hand combat.

Proteus turned his attention back to the window.

Buildings began to rise, homes on top of more shops; houses standing by themselves, wedged between other buildings. Lights glowed with orange from windows, and surprisingly enough, there were other carriages traveling around. It was a city after all. Iron fences barred off gardens behind the houses, small trees stood in front of the walkways, bent under all of the water falling on them. Lamps struggled to stay alight outside.

The clock tower was hidden now as they got closer to where they were going by the buildings and large oaks. Rain puddled on the sides of the cobblestoned road, and anywhere the road dipped inwards. Street signs came and went, marking off where they were going. Soon the center part of the town made itself known, columned buildings built of marble stood ominously around them. Soon the carriage came towards their destination: a large three story house.

A large stair case opened up to a wraparound porch. The hanging swing added a welcoming warm touch, and Haruka would have relaxed about two inches if it weren't for the circumstances. Another wraparound porch showed itself on the second level. Haruka could make out the details of the simple gas lanterns standing by windows; it was a bright well-lit place, possibly because they were waiting for her.

They moved up the gravel pathway, following its curve as they moved slowly along. The rain had slowed somewhat, though it still fell in its fat drops. Another carriage up ahead slowly pulled away from the front of the house, a maid in her black and white uniform waving it politely away. Finally Haruka's rented carriage came to a slow, taking the last carriage's place. The bright lights and stairs loomed up ahead.

The maid stepped forward, though stayed under the house's overhang. She could feel one of the crew step off of the back, and seconds later, it was Randy who opened the door for her. Courteously, he held out a hand to help her out and down the narrow stairs of the small black box. Behind her Proteus followed, along with the remaining two that had sat with them silently.

The carriage went off, Randy joining the remaining crew. They would be spending the night at a near by hotel, and eventually would travel back to where their ship was docked to await for their captain. Haruka barely noticed them leaving, looking up the stairs where the maid awaited. Her heart hammered in her chest, and she took a couple of deep breaths when she realized that she hadn't been breathing.

They were led up the stairs, and she was vaguely aware of one of her crew held an umbrella above her, keeping the rain from getting her wet. When she finally reached the top of the stairs, the maid joined them, and then turned to lead them towards the inside of the house. The door was opened by the other woman's pale, delicate hand, and Haruka was allowed to step through. Instantly, warm light was showered onto her, taking her eyes a few seconds to get used to.

"Madam Tenoh," greeted a silhouette of a man through the lighting.

The blonde sea captain raised her head so that her eyes could meet his. He was an older gentleman, complete with a gray beard and a suit. The man was the judge of the town, and had all of the personality traits of one: calming and steady. Haruka had never met him in her life, and yet he would decide the future of her life, and the lives of two other people.

The blonde tried her best to wipe the grim thoughts from her mind, but it was impossible: dark thoughts had been invading her throughout the day, as well as the whole voyage after the news. And yet, she didn't feel anything, save for those thoughts. Just sarcasm. No sadness, or anger: not yet. All of her emotions had been forced into lock down, blocked off by a thick wall.

"Sir," she said stiffly. She almost reached out to shake his hand, but remembered her manners and social protocol. She curtsied, lowering her head.

The judge steepled his hands together, and sighed. "I would ask you to not be so melancholy, but considering the circumstances, it is quite understandable."

"Thank you for offering your home during my stay." Haruka's voice sounded tiny in her own ears. She would almost feel shocked by it if it weren't for the fact that she felt numb all over.

Proteus watched his captain move through the motions, and he worried about the "guards" standing behind him. He prayed to Neptune that they looked more than convincing. The old man told himself that if they stayed silent, they would all be all right; their accents would more than give them away as men of the sea. The silence became awkward after Tenoh spoke, stretching on in the high ceilinged foyer.

"So," said the judge in front of them, "My dear will lead you to the upstairs to your rooms. I assume that your men will want a room either side of you?"

"Yes." Haruka cleared her throat. "That will be fine.

The old man looked around him, taking in his new surroundings. Even though the room was big, it gave a cozy and warm feel, tucked away in deep browns, reds, and golds. A thick oriental carpet lay underfoot, protecting the hardwood floor, while above them was a gold chandelier. The judge appeared to have a green thumb, a fern off to the side, adding a bit of life into the place. A wide stairway grew off to the side of the wall, just after another doorway leading to another room that he couldn't see. He spotted another woman from the back, carrying fresh towels, only to disappear somewhere within the depths of the house. A painting of a woman hung from high up.

The judge went deeper into the house, leaving the alien group to follow one of the maids up the stairs. Her hair was in a tight, neat bun, and atop it was a small starched white cap. They followed her onto the landing, which led to a hall, so long that it faded off into the darkness. As they walked, the maid lighted a lamp as they passed them, making it go from lonely and haunted, to warm and cheery.

Proteus didn't know how Haruka felt, she had not said a word since the last ones to the judge. He trailed behind, staring at her back, her skirts trailing out behind her. Behind him the other two crew ambled on noisily, compared to the silence around them in their leather boots, and heavy dark jackets.

Eventually, they came to a row of doors, evenly spaced, where the maid showed them the doors to their rooms. When she spoke her voice was high and correct. Though she was young, her voice still didn't match her round face.

"This room can go to one of your men." She looked between Haruka and the men standing behind Proteus, to Proteus himself. No one moved, until Haruka snapped out of it.

"Go on," she nodded. When the crewmen were finally given permission, only then did one make a move to go to the rooms.

They moved on and the maid gestured towards the next room. "And this is where my Lady and Lord will-"

"We will not be sharing a room," Haruka said. Proteus tried to force back a grin, noting the disdain and embarrassment in her voice. She had always considered him a father figure, and to suggest they share a room was akin to accusing her of incest.

For a moment the maid looked a bit lost. Then her brain seemed to restart. "All right then. I will get another room set up."

Quickly, she showed the final guard his room, and Haruka's before rushing off to gather one or two maids to help her prepare the extra room. Proteus followed the blonde sea captain into her room while he waited. Finally he was able to speak to her.

"How are you faring my dear?"

He looked around the room. Haruka went straight towards the window, where stood a large, oak desk. It was still dark in the space save for the town's lights shining in from Haruka's window, and Proteus reached to find something to light.

"Leave it," Haruka said.

Her voice was quiet but firm. She bent over slightly, and reached to light a lamp on her desk, another warm orb of light glowing from that end of the room. Proteus stopped in the middle of the room and sighed, forcing back the words that were trying to rise up and out of his throat. The silence stretched on in the high ceilinged room.

Covering the hardwood flooring, like the foyer, was another thick oriental carpet. As he took a few step forward, Proteus could feel his feet springing because of how thick and soft it was. Covering the majority of the carpet and against the wall, was a canopy bed, while at the other end was a tall and narrow fire place. It looked like a very comfortable place to stay.

"My dear," began Proteus. Haruka still stared out of the window, deep into her reverie. "_Haruka_," he tried again, this time his voice a little bit louder and stern.

The sea captain jumped. Unwillingly she peeled her dark blue eyes from the window and onto Proteus. It took effort for her to relax her eyes, though the angle at her jaw was still tense. In short, the old gentleman wasn't fooled for a second. Before his temper snapped, he crossed the room towards his captain, but not before taking another long, deep, deep breath.

"My captain," he said, his voice kind and gentle, "You are not fooling anyone. We all know and understand that you are going through a hard time. But..."

Haruka hadn't been looking at her first in command at first, but the pause drew her eyes upwards. Her heart restarted when she realized that she was holding her breath, while a corner of her lip twitched. She stayed silent. Whatever advice Proteus would give her, was something that she knew she was going to follow—without any question. He was a man that never questioned her—not that often. And when he did say something, she did listen. The pirate captain knew that this time was no different, no matter how shitty she felt.

"But, if you are going to bottle things up, they will come out in other ways. Ways that could harm you or the crew." Ouch. He had hit a low blow for the sea captain—the crew meant everything to her. It was a fifty man family. Proteus put a hand on her shoulder, knowing that he had finally gotten through to her. A small smile reached his face. "Tell someone. Anyone. Even if they're currently not in this room. I will not be hurt if you don't divulge anything of your past to me, as long as you are not keeping it inside of yourself."

Proteus decided that it was time to go and check on his own room, to leave his captain to her own devices—and eventually—hopefully—to sleep.

Haruka pulled out the chair which was tucked against the desk edge, and slowly slid down it, the weight of her body threatening to pull her through the ground and to the core of the earth. Momentarily curious, and forgetting her depression, she began shuffling through the drawers.

The one closest to her belly revealed pens tipped with gold or silver nibs; and the one next to it was a small jar of black ink, and even a few other colors like purple and blue; the next contained wax for those of high rank with seals of their own. Then below it, she found a drawer full of thick, light gold-colored parchment. Each time she opened a drawer, she closed it back up before opening a new one. She felt like the shy, small, and polite girl that she was forced to be as a youth.

Her mood had finally broken after three days. Something stirred in her mind when she pushed the final drawer back into the desk. Slowly she pulled the drawer holding the parchment out and pulled a couple of sheets out. She put them on top of the wooden desk. Hesitated. Then went for the ink. Placed it on top next to the parchment. Hesitated again. Finally, she pulled out the drawer in front of her and pulled out a pen and held it in the air. It felt heavy, ominous in her hand.

What she was about to do was one of the hardest things she had ever done in her life: she was going to write about something she had never told anyone. And Gentleman knew it. Like an adolescent coaching himself on telling his first crush how he felt, she coached herself on writing the letter. After all, she didn't have to send it. She could write it; get it out of her system. Then do what with the letter? It felt wrong to not send it at all; wrong to just burn it or throw it away. What did it matter?

After minutes, she broke the first barrier, and began to write the letter.

* * *

_It wasn't a conquest really, but my first real love._

_ How we ran into each other was in the most strangest, off chance ways that I could have possibly met with someone. It started with a storm and a lost ship._

_ The captain had been the only one who knew my secret, the rest of the crew knowing me as only just a plain, timid cabin boy. He protected my secret, my trust a gamble in the wind—I was honored. But my new and happy life would soon change because of some low hanging clouds and rough waters. It hit without warning._

_ The storm was wild, tearing the ship apart, the crew scattered and escaping in lifeboats, or on little bits of drift wood. I was told this after all that happened. I escaped in the same manor, floating on what remained of the captain's quarters. Terrified, I fought to stay afloat as the storm continued to rage on, gulping salt water. I was alone._

_ One moment I was aware of everything. I saw the wave forming behind me, the gray and white beard of Poseidon reaching out to throw me under. The next moment I was out, and as I lost conscienceness, I thought that I was going to die._

_ Somehow, my body ended up along the coast, somewhere amongst the wreckage of the ship. I ended up somewhere close to her house, where townspeople found me in the evening and carried me off to that very place. _

_ I remembered the jerking movements, as I slowly came around, and I was looking up at the ceiling of her manor. The light was warm, but not too bright. I floated under once more._

_ Eventually I did wake up; it was night time because I could see the stars glowing from the the wide glass door that opened up to the balcony. The white lace curtains hanging around it fluttered as the moon glanced over it._

_ I didn't know where I was, had forgotten what happened, until things began to flash through my mind. I fell back, my head throbbing, a cold sweat along my body. I got up on my two feet, the pain in my abdomen spiking—I had been injured somehow. I made my way towards the door. _

_ The sounds of the waves crashing to the land could be heard just over the fluttering of the lace. At that point, I would have given anything to jump the balcony and into the vicious waters. Life had finally hit rock bottom, and the ending would have been welcome._

_ I was suddenly looking down at the wild waters, the sound of the salt hissing against the rocks, the air blowing my hair, as the waves hit solid forces. Took my mind off the pain for a while. I reached towards it, tipped forwards..._

_ ...And felt something grab around my middle._

_ "Ahh!" I groaned. Pain echoed through my brain; I fell backwards. Whoever was holding me back used that as leverage to pull me further back into the room. I fell back on the bed roughly, grinding my teeth, sweating. "Gods!" I gasped._

_ The intruder was gentle, easing my legs back into the sheets. When I opened my eyes as the pain subsided, there was a candle light in the room on the bedside table. The intruder's face was clear. I remembered the green eyes, heavy lashed, and her ginger hair in tight spirals from the ears, just passed the shoulders. I struggled to stay awake._

_ "I'm terribly sorry for that," she started._

_ I kissed her after that, thought she was an angel. Fell back to the pillows, my energy spent. Looked down at my finger tips, saw blood, and knew nothing more._

_The sun was vicious the next morning, assaulting my sleeping face. I turned over, avoiding its glare. When I felt that it wasn't too bright, I opened my eyes: there was someone in the room—I was being watched._

_ "Have you been there the whole time?" I asked._

_ There she was, sitting, hands neatly folded; I squinted sleepily. Slowly details began to form: Every inch of her body, save for her shoulders and throat, were covered in fabrics; lace, crushed velvet, silk—depending on where. She looked like a doll and even sat like one, but her eyes... They pulled at me._

_ "Off and on for the past few days." she answered._

_ That woke me up. "Two days? Was my wound that bad?"_

_ "Your hair—" she began, completely ignoring my question, pawing delicately at her own. "Is it—"_

_ "Natural?" I finished, getting up on two unsteady feet. I padded my way around the room, looking for my clothes, something more comforting and familiar. Instinctively I ran a hand through my own hair. She probably didn't know my true gender either, and I prayed to Neptune that no one else had figured it out. It didn't seem likely because I was wearing nightclothes—and someone had to have changed them._

_ "No. Shoe polish. Funny how it ended up as brown in the end—but at least it stayed for when I needed it to."_

_ I was rounding my way towards her; my legs began to feel like liquid. It seemed like I was hesitating, though why should I have been? I found that I was angry at myself: this was no time for getting crushes on strangers. Escaping should have been at the top of my list._

_ "Are you in hiding?" It sounded innocent enough, but some part of me felt like it wasn't._

_ I folded my hands behind my back, and squared my shoulders like my captain had done when he walked the deck shouting orders. I stared her in the eyes. _

_ "I think that it is none of your concern, and we should move on to another subject." I inched my face close to hers. Her face was blank again._

_ "Your hair," she began again slowly, "What was the color of it originally?"_

_ I gently touched one of her spirals, kneeling. "A bit finer than this," I glanced over at the lock, remembering something that I thought I had forgotten. "Mother called it white gold. Same color as when the sun hit father's gold watch."_

_ I straightened up, not liking how she was looking at me, like she was staring through me. I forced a clever smile._

_ The door was suddenly forced open, a far one, across from us. Color rose to my cheeks because of our awkward scene. I was on my feet suddenly, as if we were doing something we weren't supposed to. _

_ A man stepped through the door. His beard was pointed, his jacket of red silk, feet booted. He took one look at me as I slowly stepped away, and turned to his daughter. I was indecent. He looked like her father, someone older, stiff, and decent._

_ "I see that you are awake," he said to his daughter. "Elsa, have you shown our guest where her clothes are?"_

_ Dammit._

_ The girl nodded her head, and slowly got up, her skirts rustling about her like the sound of feathers. She made her way towards the large Armour, opening the large oaken doors. Inside was an overstuffed row of clothing made just for the higher classes: clothing made of velvet, silks, dawned in different colors for all occasions. All made for a Lady._

_ They both left moments' later, and I was allowed to look through the Armour myself and sort through everything. Minutes later I was out of the room, wearing something that was somewhat comfortable, considering._

_ The main hall was lighted by the windows running along one side of the hall, the other side lined by doors leading to other rooms. When I came to the end of it, just as the girl's father had instructed me, I went down the wide staircase, and my feet landed in the foyer moments later, which faced towards the back of the house. Behind me was the exit, the very door I would be going through as soon as I explained my intentions._

_ Was I an idiot._

_ I entered into the wide dinning room, finding only the two there, the father and his daughter. There was no hint of there being a mother, nor any siblings. Bustling around them were the maids, as well as a few servants, some at the table serving up the midday meal. _

_ The man signaled me to come into the room, and indicated that I should sit next to him. My throat was silent, even though it would have been the perfect opportunity to say that I wanted to leave. Mechanically, I sat down at his other side, facing the doll-like woman in front of me._

_ A porcelain plate was laid out in front of me, and I served myself with the silver utensils. The meal was hot and flavorful—that was one of the many small details that I remember even now. I had been out at sea for so long, and there was very little to eat, all of it either tasteless or salty. _

_ It was hard at first to control my eating, but quickly the old etiquette that I had been taught as a young girl took over, and soon I was eating small spoonfuls, even as my stomach grumbled in dismay._

_ "Where do you hail from?" asked the man in a calm voice._

_ "Father!" admonished Elsa._

_ I chuckled, and waved my hand. "It's fine. I work for a merchant. Or did," I corrected myself, as I modified my story, appropriate for the audience, "I don't know what's going to happen now since the ship has been torn to paces." _

_ My voice was still hoarse from so many days of disuse. I took a few sips of water from the glass, while the two observed me. Then I asked the question that I didn't want to hear. "I am assuming that the rest of the crew has been found dead?"_

_ The older gentleman shook his head. "We just found you, and a few bits of drift wood. Whatever else happened to the rest of the ship, as well as its crew, is beyond me. Everything might've washed up a few miles down the shore, but I've heard nothing so far."_

_ I felt my face frowning, and I couldn't help but to glance over at Elsa, curious of her reaction towards my tale. She had been staring at me the whole time, and as soon as my eyes touched hers, her face began to turn pink, and quickly she looked over at her father. I continued to tell them vaguely who I was, like my age, which had been around twenty, and my name._

Maybe it would be a good idea for me to stay around this manor, if they are willing_, I thought to myself. The other crew were gone, and I had nowhere to go. Secretly I wanted to learn more about the girl, and why I was drawn to her._

_ Like I said before, I was an idiot._

* * *

Court started three days after she arrived. The days in between she spent most of her time in doors, which was unusual for the blonde, who normally spent her time exploring the town. She found the library and brought a few of the thick volumes back to her room where she sat in the arm chair to read when she wasn't working on the letter. For something that required so little physical effort, it was an exhausting undertaking. But slowly, she could feel some of the weight of the past being alleviated from her chest. Normally after a few pages, she would take a nap, or stare into the window, while her mind filtered out everything.

Though the present brought back much of the weight. The day before court, her nerves felt frayed, and she had a hard time keeping still. Finally Proteus got so irritated, that he dragged her out of the manor by her arm.

Outside, the weather had gotten much colder. It was still drizzling outside, like it had been for the passed few days. Proteus threw her a long jacket so that she could keep her dresses dry. Haruka couldn't help but worry about the crew back on the ship, wondering if they were kept reasonably warm. Like her after a while, most of them loved the warmer weather, though, unlike her, they came from hotter regions of the globe.

People around them bustled along the walkways, despite the weather. The town was alive, the windows of shops and restaurants warm and cheery, fighting against the gloom around them. People smiled and shopped. Carriages ambled through the cobblestoned streets, the horses looked miserable, as well as their drivers.

"Come, I'll buy you your first pint of the day," offered the Gentleman kindly.

"No," she said with a vague smile. "Not right now."

The two crew that had accompanied them spent the last few days in town when not on duty, or playing cards when they were. If they had spoken, they didn't say anything around the judge. It took Proteus a while before he felt safe enough around the manor, not sure if any of them could keep up the appearance of high-ranking people.

He looked over at her, giving the captain a wry look.

Haruka shivered. Even though it was early fall in the small town, it was the type of cold that could sink through your clothes and down into your bones. They found a nice pub a few blocks down from the judge's manor. Inside, the long serving table was alive with customers and the people who worked for the place. Hot mead and beer made their rounds, making people feel warm and snug.

Proteus chose to go upstairs to the second floor, up a narrow staircase. The old wood boards creaked under his feet as his captain followed glumly behind him. Windows stared out at the gloomy weather from the front, adding it's cool light into the building. Bar maidens in short dresses strutted across, carrying laden trays. Large burly men gambled from the larger tables standing in the middle.

Haruka was quiet and morose as usual, even as her "guards" found them and joined their table. They continued their round of cards as they waited for their pints. The old gentleman turned them down when they asked that he join them, and looked at their captain weary and worried. They didn't ask, knowing that she needed the space.

Finally Proteus had had enough of the emanating silence, and began to tell tales of his youth. Even though his captain was good at getting herself in rather elaborate problems, he was a man of experience—as well as when he was young. And Haruka found that he was just as talented as she was at getting into messes. At first, she seemed uninterested, and even made the effort to look that way. Soon her dark blue eyes began to sparkle with the old curiosity he had come to know when she was captured into something amusing and exciting.

He knew that the brothers were soon listening as well, their voices silenced, and their eyes looking sideways towards the old man. The fanned-out cards in their hands stood frozen.

Haruka found out things that she had never known about her second in command in the many years that she had known him—before even Elsa. He came from a lower class family farther up north, ironically in the same country that Haruka grew up in. They grew up by the docks—where Proteus got his love of the sea, and the sea life. Eventually, he worked for some of the sailors, unloading fish, and throwing them into the ice, while his father worked in the factories—where his father was to die.

Desperate for work and higher pay, he followed the thin string of rumors to a small pirate crew who had been, at the time, privateered to a Queen across the ocean. Of course, as fickle as states are, they eventually were out of work, and were once again outlaws—everywhere. And that was when the Old Gentleman's clever skills came into play.

He spoke for hours, and Haruka willingly let her mind wander and flow with the words of his tales, forgetting her current problems. The night fell, but she didn't even notice at first. She only noticed as her limbs grew stiff, so she finally got up to leave the pub and her men to their own devices. Her first in command joined her guards in their card games.

As she left the building, she felt inspired, her heart tingling as she walked closer and closer to the manor. Words describing her past began forming in her mind, wild and whispering to her. When she reached her desk, the trial was momentarily forgotten.

* * *

_I found myself back in the room that I had woken up in, finding that it was connected to a bathing room. Elsa's father sent for hot water to be brought up, so I made may way into the separate room to acquaint myself._

_ Inside, it was crisp and white, the sun filtering through. As soon as I entered, I suspected that the man of the house was a botanist at the very least—potted plants, lush and overflowing, stood along the ledges of the room. In the center was a porcelain tub, and even a toilet and basin to wash your hands stood against a wall._

_ Maids eventually made their way in, pouring the steaming water into the tub. By then I had already stripped and was in my robe. When it was filled and the maids gone, I gratefully stepped in._

_ I settled into the tub, and I felt like I was breathing for the first time. As I sank underwater, what was left of the shoe polish floated off into the water, revealing the blonde underneath. While still under, I felt around for the sponge that had been resting along the ledge. I used soap! I hadn't seen such a luxury in such a long time. (Terrifying to imagine, I know.)_

_ Eventually, I rang up the maidens once more, and they emptied the tub, refilling it with more water. Instead of washing up, I simply sank beneath the surface, and stayed until my lungs burned for air._

_"Father's office is through that door," Elsa said, pointing over to a heavy wooden door. It was dark oak, geometric patterns carved into it. I wondered if her father was working._

_ We were walking through the hall, in the upper half of the house. It was in a completely separate wing from the main part. The hall was part wall and doors on one side, and a banister on the other, preventing people from falling over the ledge to the first floor. The first floor was the library._

_ It was stacked with leather bound books, titles printed on the spines in gold or silver, sometimes faded right off of the cover. Some were open on podiums, randomly placed, the pages yellowed, rarely freshly white and printed. However there was one single desk, long, meant for space for books and not people. Behind the library was the conservatory, hidden by white doors._

_ The whole time I was hyper attentive to my surroundings, trying my best to avoid looking at Elsa. I felt naked around her, but at the same time, I didn't want to leave._

_ Because of her father working so much in his office, she was left with an abundant amount of freedom. Even when he was around, he allowed her to speak her mind—where it became strong and quick witted. She was not friendless, often she traveled out to the town and sometimes stayed with friends there._

_ "You shouldn't feel guilty," she replied, answering my rambling question. "You are not keeping me from my social life. In fact," she added, looking at me through half shut eyes, "I have a friend right at home."_

_ A lump formed in my throat, and I struggled to swallow it. By then Elsa was already moving to open the door towards the observatory. Her father studied the stars._

_ At first I couldn't see a thing, because of how bright the sun was in the small room. Eventually my eyes got somewhat used to it, and I was able to make out shapes._

_ The whole front of the wall was glass, solid glass. It was curved outwards, leaning towards the outside, and white-painted strips of wood crisscrossed it. Somewhere above my head was a balcony so that one could catch glimpses of the landscape at higher angles. It was where the large telescope was stationed as well._

_ Upwards, connecting the circular walkway was a star-shape, while in the center was a tightly wound spiral staircase. Elsa began to speak, but stopped as I pawed the railing that led upwards. I began to slowly move up the stairs._

_ The sun moved with me. Seconds later I was at the top of the stairs and moved towards the walkway, across one of the arms of the star. Just in front of the main arm was the largest telescope that I had ever seen. Above me, the ceiling was domed. Between the ribbing, constellations of the stars could be made out. The arm that I had chosen moved and groaned under my weight, but I ignored it. _

_ And suddenly, I found myself looking out over the horizon. The hills, the ocean washing against the wall of jagged rocks that I couldn't see. As soon as I saw the ocean, I felt calmer, less edgier than before. I could hear the ocean whispering, even through the glass. Behind me, I heard her foot falls, and suddenly felt full and unalone._

_ I spent much of my time at the observatory. By looking out into the ocean, I felt closer to the crew that I had lost. I felt more like myself._

_ Elsa would join me every so often, but she gave me my space as I filtered through everything that had happened. And every time she came, all of my previous thoughts were forgotten, my mind completely on her. She would bring me my meals, teas, even though she didn't have to._

_ We were okay not speaking to each other all the time. Like the silence made us complete. As it got colder, she would bring in blankets, and we would huddle close to each other. During those moments, at first my hands would become slick with sweat and I forgot how to breath. Eventually, my defenses weakened, and I welcomed her close presence._

_ Her head rested on my shoulder one autumn day. Outside the skies were a clear, deep blue. The bottoms of the window were misted from the incoming cold. I felt her shifting her head, and looked down at her._

_ My breath caught because we were so close—faces less than two inches away. Elsa looked as if she was about to say something, but stopped. We stared at each other, not knowing where to go next._

_ Finally a grin broke out on her face, and I began to breath again though I was confused. "I was wondering about that kiss you gave me your first night here," she whispered, turning her head to the side._

_ "I was drunk and half crazy," I stuttered, having a hard time keeping my voice._

_ She wasn't a fool. She raised her head just slightly, tempting me, testing my lie. And I fell for it, closing the rest of the space between our mouths._

* * *

Haruka finished the next segment of her own tale, feeling something that she hadn't felt in a long time: loneliness. Though she still cared deeply for Elsa—the current events not helping in her grief—the relationship had long ago ended, albeit in a very heartbreaking manor. No. There was someone else. All of the events, and her own writings, made her finally realize and face what she felt for the aqua haired bar maiden. Once again, for the second time in her life, she had fallen in love. And this thought caught her off guard.

During every encounter with the bar maiden back on _Elysia_, she was sure that she had carefully guarded herself—well, save for the last meeting. Haruka didn't bother lying to herself with the same story that she was tired—and very horny. Truthfully, as the relationship slowly evolved, she looked forward to Michiru's companionship, like she had with those of Ouranös and Proteus. But there was something... Like a kind of electricity that pulled her in, even at the first of their meeting.

Slowly, she began to clean her desk off. Stacking papers and hiding them safely in a drawer, hoping that out of sight truly meant out of mind for the maids that normally went through the rooms to tidy them up at the duration of her stay. She was slowly dragging, and the blonde knew that she wasn't exhausted, even though the day before her was going to drain every drop of energy that she had. She turned down the gas to the lamp, and slowly the tiny, glowing flame flickered out.

"I do not love Michiru," she said into the darkness.

She tread the last few steps to her bed, and stepped in. Under her, her weight sank the bed just slightly, inviting her, soft and warm. Safe. Alone. Finally, with some resolve, she stripped off her robe and finally settled in under the covers.

Her eyes slowly got used to the darkness, and as she stared up at the top of the canopy, she could see faint blue outlines appearing around the shapes of the room. The glow of the town made its way in, uninterrupted by the gas lamp at her desk. Haruka could hear Proteus snoring loudly from the room over, and a thought flickered through her mind about how her men could stand it—without all of the walls. She couldn't help but grin at the thought.

With her eyes closed, an image of the bar maiden appeared right above her head, and Haruka felt her heart twist in her chest. She no longer felt alone, Michiru moving to lay on her side next to her, that secretive, frustrating smile on her mouth. Slowly, in her mind, she replayed the kisses she had received from the bar maiden the last time they met, and her body began to respond, connecting with the rising energy in her mind. She pushed the thoughts farther; she hadn't done this in years—not since she was a guilty and pent up adolescent in her father's house.

Haruka reassured herself that she was alone in the room, as she lowered her defenses, forcing the worry about her not being able to lower them down in Michiru's presence when she next saw her away. Slowly her hands began to explore, lower, and her heart rate picked up. She kissed Michiru back, and her own hands were the aqua haired woman's. They went farther and farther...

"Michiru!" she groaned into the darkness, though she saw white instead.

Her eyes snapped open, her body still trembling. Haruka turned onto her side when she was still, suddenly feeling empty, the loneliness now more real than ever when she finally admitted everything to herself.

* * *

_Winter was on its way before I realized the time that was passing. I shoved the nagging feeling away, spending my time with Elsa. It had been a while since I had experienced winter, because my travels as a pirate would bring me around to warmer places. Needless to say, I didn't very much like the cold. _

_ A couple of times during the week, we would make our way towards the town and spend some time with her friends. They were normal women, worried about normal things. The latest fashions, suitors, getting married in the future, eventually raising children... It was strange and surreal. And somehow I felt as if Elsa wasn't a perfect fit with them. She was on a different plane of thinking. Of course it could have been because I was slightly biased._

_ Other times when going out, we would do simple girl things as well: shopping, going by cafes, or just walking around. Our public displays of affection would go on ignored—hand holding and falling into each other was something normal, foolish girls would do._

_ "What's _Elysia_?"_

_ "Huh?" I asked, snapping out of my reverie. We were out walking along the streets lined with trees and gas lamps. The sun shimmered through the leaves, shifting lazily across the cobblestones in broken pieces. I was holding her gloved hand in mine._

_ "What's _Elysia_?" she asked again. Her eyes were laughing at me, at my clumsiness._

_ "Elysia?" I repeated her, giving her a sideways look._

_ "I don't know," she shrugged. This time a light blush rose to her cheeks. "I saw an old piece of parchment in your hand one of the nights you were at the observatory. I was curious of it because it seemed so important to you the way you held it. I'm sorry I even looked..."_

_ She began to ramble. We had come to a stop, and she was holding both of my hands in hers. I began to chuckle._

_ "It's no worry. It's a place that I have yet to visit. A clue to my home." _

_ I told her vaguely about my family, and about Titania. A raucous grin that I couldn't seem to help, broke out on my face at the memory of my second run in with her. Elsa seemed to read it perfectly and pursed her lips teasingly. Knowing I was on thin ice, my grin disappeared, waiting for her to speak. We slowly began walking once more, though it was hard to tell who was leading._

_ "So there are more of us?" I squinted my eyes at her, confused. She cleared her throat, seemingly at a loss for words. She tried again. "People like us. People who fall in love with..."_

_ I raised my head to the sky in understanding. "Oh. Yes, everywhere," I said, though I wasn't sure. I had run into at least four on my journeys, Elsa being the fourth. But I didn't tell her that. "Women falling in love with women, men falling in love with men..." I stopped, looking at her, as if for the first time. She truly looked troubled, and I felt guilty._

_ We came to a small, private park, and I invited her to sit down next to me on a wooden bench. There were a few people strolling around us, all out of ear shot, or so into their own worlds that they wouldn't hear anything anyway._

_ "It's not a disease," I said. I was having a hard time coming up with the words to describe what I felt, I was looking down at my lap. "It's not even who you are, but more of a tiny pace. If you love someone, I don't see a reason of why not try? A lot of people don't understand so they make it wrong, and they make it seem like everything. But it's not."_

_ I knew where I came from, and that was exactly how it was. It was almost exactly the same over where Elsa lived as well from what I had seen. However in her own town, adolescent crushes were seen as cute, clumsy—as well as something that you grew out of so that you could move on and raise a family, and if you were a man, a career as well. We were a few years passed adolescence._

_ "I love you," I barely hesitated at the confession, swallowing before I continued, "And you love me—or at least so I hope. It's as simple as that."_

_ Elsa's eyes were still pensive, but there was a smile on her lips. Then she looked up at me, her gray eyes unfathomable and staring right through me. The look sent shivers through my body. I was very aware that there was no one currently in the park, and she raised her head up towards me._

_ Her lips were soft and warm, and slowly I parted them with my own, exploring as I would do behind closed doors, and in ways that would make her blush._

* * *

**AN:**

**Thanks for your** reviews and thank you so much for stopping by to read! I love them very much!


	12. Act Ten

**Act Ten: The Dark Secret of Heracles**

The rain finally subsided, though the clouds still hung low as overcast. There would be no rain that day. Haruka woke up early, and began to dress, feeling stiff, and still half asleep. It was as if she had closed her eyes for a moment, and then suddenly, a few seconds later, it was time to get up. Proteus waited for her by the door, as with her two guards, Puck and Cupid, when she came outside.

They were all silent, but she nodded to them, as they made their way down the stairs. The judge was already at the court house, sorting through his own business, and making preparations for the case that was to take place soon. The maid and butler greeted them before they exited and the doors were locked closed behind them. They wouldn't be returning until the late afternoon.

"Come on, my captain," said Proteus gently, placing his hand behind her shoulder blades. She had been looking forlornly at the door, wishing to go back inside to safety.

The court house was located a few blocks behind the judge's mansion. The judge himself had taken a carriage to the cube-shaped building, and the quartet opted to walk. When they arrived, in front of them was a very simple building—box shaped with Corinthian columns along the front and an overhang where people stood around in groups. Around the front were more carriages, black and formal, driven by dark-colored horses. Out of them came formally dressed people, mostly of the upper classes.

Haruka noticed wearily that her own clothing were a few years out of date, when she noticed what some of the ladies were wearing. She prayed to the Gods that it wouldn't be something that would be used against her during the trial. Women wore bright colors, while men dawned dark, stiff suits and hats, which they carried in hand.

Cupid and Puck flanked either side of her, while Proteus trailed behind. They moved upwards, where it became darker than the outside because of the overhang, a looming shadow. As the blonde got closer to the entrance of the court house, people cast glances, curious of the new woman climbing up the stairs. They had known about her, but had never seen her in person.

"Remember, my lady," said a gentle voice behind her, "You are not the one on trial. You have nothing to be guilty of."

Time seemed to thaw out a bit at Proteus' words, and Haruka breathed when she realized that she hadn't been. She looked over her shoulder and forced a weak smile at her first in command.

"Milady!" greeted a broad, charismatic voice in front of her.

She finally reached the top of the stairs and came face-to-face with a black-suited man. His eyes were piercing and unreadable to the captain, which sent shivers down her spine. He smiled, and she was almost willing to trust him—if he were on the same side as she was. The stranger held out a hand for her to take in greeting, and suddenly she felt a bit of her old self returning, surfacing from the grief. Haruka took it, gripping it tightly, an impish grin showing in her eyes.

"Sir," she said, her voice formal and polite. Correct. "It is nice to meet you..."

"Heracles," he finished, another smile flashing. Their hands dropped. He shook his hand a few times so that the circulation could reach his fingers.

The double doors finally opened, and people began to filter through. Haruka wished that the man would leave, but he matched his pace with hers when she followed the crowd. They walked silently for a while, and she could feel him eying her sideways.

"I have wondered for a while what she saw in you... But I believe," he said in slow, halting, and pondering words, "I do see it now I think."

"I, if it is not too rude in saying, would love you to take your leave now, so that we can move on with the trial," Haruka said, her voice smooth. She didn't bother to look at him.

She watched him out of the corner of her eye. He bowed slightly, then faded into the crowd. That man was Elsa's husband. When he was finally gone, she felt a pain in her chest that made her stumble forward.

* * *

_It was sometime before we were both broken out of the world that we had created around ourselves. I was in this drunken stupor, and for once I was able to stay in one place for longer than a few weeks. We spent most of our time in the conservatory, or in town, our rooms. I was so still, and everything was so calm around me, that I began to tell her about myself, and the world that I truly came from. It was a relief. She spoke at length about her vague memories of her mother before she died._

_ Her father was forever working in his private office. Eventually, as soon as the winter was in full swing and the skies clearer, he came into the conservatory during the night so that he could catalogue the stars. We spent our time in the parlor, and would eventually crawl up to our rooms in the early morning to sleep. The older gentleman had no idea of our affair. I should have felt some guilt, but I was a fool I think._

_ It was a peaceful existence. The staff around the house spent time with us, sometimes playing cards or eating the light meals that the cook had prepared. It wasn't as lonely as I first had imagined._

_ But it all changed with a single knock of the door. One of the staff answered without much thought. At the door, like everyday at exactly four, the postman arrived with a letter or a word. This time the jolly graying man had both, including a slight bow. Elsa and I barely glanced up from our game of chess, she sitting on the couch, while I was comfortably on the floor._

_ We barely noticed the door closing, but I'm sure we both heard the foot steps moving closer to us. Elsa glanced up after she moved her bishop. She moved her pale hand upwards to take the letter from the man who answered the door. With a slight bow, he left and moved somewhere else within the house._

_ While I concentrated on my next move, she carefully opened the sealed letter. At first I didn't notice the tense, cold silence filling the air. When I finally made my move on the black and white chess board, only then did I finally look up._

_ "Anything wrong?" I asked. My voice sounded suddenly loud in the quiet air._

_ As soon as I spoke, I closed my mouth. Elsa's face had gone sheet white, and she looked like she was about to faint. Gently I placed my hand on her elbow just in case she needed to be steadied. The red head jumped, brought back to reality. Her gray eyes slowly moved downwards to look at me, and her lips forced a smile. But there was something terribly wrong behind it._

_ "I must go speak to my father," she said._

_ And then she was gone._

_ I spent the majority of that day in the kitchens around the cooks. There, where people bustled around like that of my old crew, I could keep my mind off the look that Elsa had on her face. I didn't know what it could be, could it be that bad? Part of me wanted to know, but the other part was content with ignoring everything from the outside and continuing with my lazy life with her._

_ Eventually I was recruited into the kitchen's chores. The head cook's assistant quickly found that I was good with a knife and had me cut the dinner's vegetables. The carrots and celery were thrown into the pot for a stew, and I was off cutting chunks of meat._

_ They laughed and joked, and my mind was distracted for a while. Though, all along, there was a small part of it that was constantly on Elsa and that letter. I tried my best to stay calm and focused on the tasks that were given to me. After all, I spent years forcing myself to focus on tasks that helped me to avoid thinking about my past. And why would that technique continue not to work?_

_ When I did see her again, it was the late afternoon. It was as if nothing had happened. Her normal energy had returned when she came into the kitchens._

_ Grabbing my hands, she led me out, while I looked at her bewilderingly. I was suddenly aware of my height and felt clumsy as I watched her dance around._

_ "What's wrong?" I blurted. We were now out in the main hall._

_ She paused, giving me a confused look. Then a smile broke out on her face once more. "Everything will be all right!" Whatever it was that had bothered her, seemed to be at ease then. I relaxed and let it go—it didn't seem to be that big of an issue anymore. _

_ "What was it that worried you?" I asked, really wanting to know. "What was the letter?"_

_ All the light from her face suddenly left, and I bit my tongue, feeling guilty for even asking. "It was a letter from my future husband," she said finally. "It had been arranged when I was about four. But I asked father today if I could... not marry him because... my mind is... occupied with other things." Her smile returned, her cheeks coloring slightly as she gazed up at me._

_ "And what did he say?" The bottom was falling out of my stomach. Guilt. More guilt._

_ "He said that he would see what he could do. That everything will be all right."_

* * *

"According to Mrs. Elsa's last Will and Testament, you were given the responsibility, instead of her husband. May I ask why she would do such a thing?"

Haruka was about to answer the opposing lawyer, when her own raised his hand to silence them both. She tried to tell herself that she would have been fine in answering, but she realized that her brain was drawing up blanks.

Heracles had been on the stand a half hour before. He turned out to be an outstanding gentleman, which made Haruka humiliatingly jealous. Or at least he appeared to be, something in the pit of her stomach continued to tug at her. Already she was getting hammered with questions. Though it made sense—a random person, not of the town, was given power over a woman's husband. A woman that they had never before seen, save for a few glimpses from seven years ago. Both the husband and the "friend" would be tested nonetheless just to be sure—that one was not mentally able, while the other was adept.

Before her lawyer could say anything, the man in front of her withdrew the question. He was a quick speaking, clever, slim sort of man. A long face, with straight brown hair under the powdered white wig. His robes made him appear even longer. Her own lawyer, which had been assigned to her by the judge who observed them, hardly knew her either, and seemed to be pulling at lose threads.

"Let us hear more about you, Miss Tenoh," he refraised. "Tell us about yourself."

Haruka raised her eyebrows as she thought for a moment, gathering her thoughts. "Well I work with a seafaring merchant company. Trading mostly with foreign countries..." _Piracy and hunting for treasures, close enough to the truth_, she thought dryly. "It was a business that I had started on my own, working up to the top."

"So you didn't gain this business from your father or mother?"

"No." She bit her tongue, about to mention her estranged relationship with her father. She kept eying the clock, even though time didn't matter at this point—it was until the judge and jury asked for a recess that anyone would be allowed to go.

"And why not gain a business from your own family—that seems to go against tradition, does it not?"

"Yes. I left home at an early age to strike out on my own," the blonde answered haltingly. _Stupid snake!_

"And you don't have a family, or a husband, of your own?"

"No I do not. That does not mean that I haven't considered the prospect of a family, I just haven't had the chance."

"So you have no attachments to land at the moment?"

Haruka felt like she was being put into a corner, the back of her mind tingling. "At the moment," she bullshitted, "But I do have offers that are open."

"Ah." The thin man paused for a moment, and turned his gaze off of her, and to the floor. He paced around for a bit before turning his attention back. Letting her stew. "I heard that you only briefly knew Mrs. Elsa... I would like to hear more of this story, please educate the court about your meeting and how you became so close so quickly."

The man clearly didn't respect Haruka, possibly because of her answers, and the fact that he could sense her holding back a lot of information that could possibly get her hung. Her own lawyer moved to stand up, but the judge stopped him with a raised hand. Restless, he plopped back down into his chair behind the table.

The sea captain turned her attention back to her interrogator. Her thoughts and memories tried to force themselves forward and out of her throat. She hesitated as they jumbled and tangled together. Taking a couple of deep breaths, she gathered the simplest and less incriminating version.

"A few years ago, the... company that I worked for at the time got caught up in a violent storm. We were torn apart and scattered. I woke up in Miss Elsa's manor, the next moment I knew, where her father let me stay so that I could heal and gather myself. His daughter was very kind and nurturing—we became fast friends during this time. We were drawn to each other, perhaps because we spent so much time together.

"We were both lonely, maybe. It had been a while since I had someone that I could... feel close to. Perhaps she felt the same way..." Haruka stopped, then started again, "It felt as if the house was too big for her father and herself. I don't know why she cared so much for me, but I have my own reasons, and that is all that I can vouch for. I felt like myself for the first time in a long while."

"I see," answered Heracles' lawyer. He stopped, when he noticed that his client was gesturing towards him. Haruka eyed the lawyer's back wearily, watching him move towards Elsa's husband. They whispered to each other, glancing in her direction every once in a while. After a few moments, the drawn-out man returned to stand in front of her.

"In the sheriff's files," he said, as if he was spelling out something very slowly to her, "it was said that you were found on the shore... In men's clothing. To refresh your memory, madam, the sheriff was there helping to carry you to the house." _I was conscience you dolt!_ Haruka's lips tightened. "When the doter and sheriff pealed away your clothing, they very quickly found your true gender. Your breasts were bound, hair cut short as well as dyed."

His words were humiliating, cold—and there, on the stand, she truly felt naked and violated. In that one moment, she felt her dignity being stripped away and analyzed. There were murmurs around her, people glancing to one another. Haruka didn't dare look over at the jury. She kept her gaze on the lawyer.

"It sounds as if you were suffering from a mental disorder," the thin man said when the whispers died down.

"Well," swallowed the captain, "I am obviously healed, am I not? Can you not tell from my clothing that I wear today? And was I not recorded by her own father that I wore the correct clothing during the duration of my stay?"

"I would only trust you being healed through our own doctors," muttered Heracles just loud enough for everyone to hear.

The lawyer that stood in front of her seemed to agree. "There are therapies that would help," he offered. His head was lowered, though his eyes were still fixed on her. The room suddenly felt smaller. "Electroshock therapies seem to be very affective in healing such... issues."

Haruka felt her eyes widen. Her hands gripped her knees, which fortunately no one could see. She had heard of such technologies, and wanted nothing to do with them. One of her crew had mentioned what it had truly done to the patients. Afterwords, they were something less than human—not completely there. They were "healed," oh yes, they followed anything that anyone said, but were barely functional. For those who were in the earlier stages, who gave in so soon, were horribly traumatized. It was torture. But without blinking, she spoke, a charming chuckle bubbling up from her throat,

"The earlier days of my job I do admit that I'm not proud of it—" _Damn straight, I was a cabin boy!_ "Yet I had to do what I had to to work my way upwards. Hence why I did not feel myself until I met Elsa." _Because none of the crew, at the time, other that Proteus, knew that I was a woman._

The lawyer smirked, knowing that he had cast doubt towards her onto the jury. "It must have felt incredibly hard... Being a lady doing a sort of gentleman's job.."

She eyed him and returned his smirk with her own charming smile, even though his last comment stung. She prayed that when Heracles was put back onto the stand, that her own lawyer would be able to even the playing field. But the judge cut off the trial with a raised hand.

"It seems like we are finished for the day," he said, his voice quite and smooth. Haruka could not read anything from him. "Tomorrow, Miss Tenoh's defendant will take over the questioning; and on the third day we will review everything before the jury comes up with a verdict."

He looked over at the blonde sea captain. "But so far Miss Tenoh, your own case seems weak. Your current life does not seem stable and does not stay put in anyone town. And your past shows the same signs, and in fact, worrying ones. We may have to go against Elsa's original wishes and return power to her husband."

Great! She had to lie, or at least skew the truth, about herself because people thought that who she is was wrong. Like how she felt and acted were all symptoms of some kind of horrible disease. Haruka was not one to hide who she was. Not after she let her true self out after she ran away from her father's estate. Lying about it felt like the bigger sickness. Turned her stomach inside out.

The outcome was becoming more and more obvious. Heracles just _looked_ right for the job, it didn't matter who he really was. Only that the town was more familiar with him, not some stranger; not some outcast. She prayed that her lawyer could reveal the true person underneath—or at least the person that she suspected him to be.

She knew that even hoping that things could go her way was foolish: her "career" wasn't as stable as it should have been for the kind of environment the town required for things to work. She couldn't lie about it, even though she had the connections to forge whatever records she needed. Haruka knew better.

There had to be a way...

When Haruka returned to her rooms, she locked herself in, and began pacing back and forth. Flurries of different thoughts floated into her mind. Clashing, screaming, and trying to be the first one forward. Her legs moved her from window to door in front of the bed and back to the window as she paced. An idea was forming, and she was terrified of it—it was a gamble and it was such short notice.

She finally moved out of her room an hour later. It was the only way to protect what she had been ordered to protect by one of the people she was the most loyal to. Proteus was nowhere to be seen, and she moved on without him, or her "guards". When she reached the foyer she spoke softly to one of the maids. Her quite voice bounced softly against the walls around them as Haruka nervously stood. The maid left her to wait for a few moments, until she returned with the judge.

The older gentleman ordered a horse and carriage for her, raising a hand in his refusal to go with her. He smiled softly, saying that he could not get involved with either side—he was already doing that by letting her stay at his home. Haruka didn't argue, knowing that he was right, a wave of guilt hitting her—though she didn't want to return to Elsa's home. The memories alone were already too much for her to hold.

Finally, she was back outside the manor, where the clouds still hung low. She sat in the darkness and silence of the carriage. The curtains were drawn inside, though through the small gap between the cloth, she could see people moving about all around her.. From the outside, she could hear the horse clopping evenly as it traveled across the coblestoned streets.

Minutes later, when they were closer to the coast towards the edge of the town, they arrived at a small tower, framed with amber and collumns. It was connected and interconnected with copper wires, which soared over the town. Large branches of metal pierced the sky.

The driver dropped her off and moved off somewhere so that he could wait for her. She entered the building through a warm-toned, lightweight door. The blonde sea captain found that the main room was lined with oak desks, shining in the bright lamps from above. Officials waited at them, and every so often, there would be a person talking to one of them from the other side of the table. The scratching of quills moving against parchment echoed in the room.

She stopped by one of the people at the long desk, and began to talk to them, keeping her voice low. The young man asked basic questions, writing everything down on the parchment form that she said. He asked things like, 'what would you like the message to say?', 'how urgent is it?', and 'where would you like the message delivered?' She kept the message short and simple, and prayed to her ocean-bound God that it would get there in time. She hoped for a reply.

* * *

Makoto relieved one of her men from her chair when her shift arrived, her heels clicking along the gold-shining surface. Ouranös took over the main controls of the ship when he moved out from behind her. While she sat, he did the ritual of checking everything, and making sure that everything was in working order. Around them, the ship's brain hummed and purred pleasantly.

It had taken a while for the _Io's Argus_ to finally be returned to her old self. New things had been installed as well, and Makoto had never seen her ship any better than it was when it was finally let go and out into the air. The _Lune_ Queen had been very generous.

Unfortunately, when the ship was let out, the enemy had suddenly gone silent. The skies were clear of any trouble, leaving the sky captain bored and with little to do with her time. So when she sat in her captain's chair, she went through the normal ritual of asking the crew if there was anything, and the list of questions about the functions of the ship. Makoto yawned.

But there were moments when the brunette remember that her best friend had been taken by the other side. It made her even more impatient for action, and the silence was nearly enough to push her over the edge. Perhaps the minotany would

Ouranös suddenly jumped back, and her mouth snapped shut mid yawn.

He moved back from his work area, looking very perturbed. She looked in the same direction that his eyes were staring in—and in front of him, the telegraph moved, as if possessed.

"What's the message say?" she snapped.

The blond man jumped, his focus suddenly pulled from the telegraph. He shook his head as he continued listening to the series of electrical clicks, repeating itself over and over again.

"Is it from the Queen?" she asked. The brunette captain was sitting up from her chair excitedly, energy flinging from one end of her body to the other. She was ready for a fight.

"No!" he said slowly. He hesitated, turning his head to the side, his face clearly showing confusion.

"Out with it!" she yelled.

Ouranös breathed when he realized that he was holding his breath. His right eye twitched. "It's from Captain Tenoh!" His voice showed a sense of fondness for his old captain, or times long missed. He couldn't help but smile when he raised his eyes to his current captain, but it fell as he continued listening to the message.

"What does it say?" Makoto asked, her voice lowered and more subdued. Something was wrong.

" Well the first line starts out as _'Help Me.'_"

* * *

Haruka sat at her desk, a nervous energy making her unable to sit completely still. She wasn't even sure if the infamous sky captain had even received the message, let alone reply back. The last post arrival had passed hours ago, and her hopes had dropped significantly when no one rang the doorbell. She prayed to the Gods that there would be something in the morning waiting for her, when the earliest post would arrive.

Proteus began to bang on the door to her room when it was late evening. Her head darted up towards the silence violating noise. Instead of getting angry, she laughed, finding his impatience amusing. The blonde began to wonder if she was going delirious from all of the stress.

"Come in!" she called.

He stepped in, fuming at his captain. "You _do not_ go off without telling any of your crew!" he shouted, slamming the door behind him. "I understand, sir, that you are going through a terrible hardship and are at a crossroads—but do not go against protocols that you yourself set up! Do not go against protocols that were set up to keep you safe!"

Haruka's eyes widened, her dark blue eyes piercing through him with shock. Proteus had never once shouted at her, or lost his temper, in all the years that she had known him. He was always patient and calm, guiding her through her troubles like a round-about spirit The pirate captain's jaw dropped: he was _worried_ about her. For once he was truly worried that she was going to lose it. She closed her mouth, not trusting anything that would come out of her mouth for the moment.

"I sent a message to Captain Makoto," she finally said quietly.

By that point the man was leaning against the bed, breathing so harshly, that she could hear him from across the room. She was looking down at the floor, and heard his breathing quieten at what she said.

"It was the only thing that I could think of doing that would give me a chance."

He looked over at her. "Are you sure you want to do something like this? This is a huge change—a very huge responsibility, my dear." He walked over to her and held her long hands in his calloused and scarred ones.

Haruka's face tightened at the comment. "And leave _everything_ to that man? I cannot do that—that's foolish and irresponsible! I have a duty to her, to everything that's hers and _is_ her. If she put me as the soul benefactor, then there is something _wrong_ with that man! If she had to change everything in her Will, then she didn't trust him—and there was a reason for it! I can't _let_ him win because of it! Even if it means giving up my own livelihood."

The old Gentleman dropped her hands and stayed silent for a while. The blonde slowly began to worry, until finally he spoke. "I will stand behind you, no matter what. Even if it means staying off the seas." When she looked up at him, the old man was smiling gently at her, and she found that her shoulders relaxed.

Suddenly, her head darted towards the door to the room. Even clapping echoed from the hall as someone stood outside in the hall. The door was left slightly open, and she could see a shadow leaking through the crack.

"Who's there?" she snapped, raising to her feet.

The shadow shifted, as it switched legs and opened the door wider. The blonde pirate captain's jaw dropped in surprise at the figure that stepped into the room:

"Makoto?" she asked, alarmed.

"Captain Makoto," corrected the brunette sky captain with a smirk.

Haruka strode across the room, trying to find something to say. "What are you doing here?" she finally said when she stopped in front of the tall woman.

"You asked for my help, didn't you?" The brunette couldn't help but grin at the blonde's shock.

"I didn't mean _actually_ coming here, I just needed a letter, proof that—"

"Well," shrugged Makoto, "Why not have the real article on hand?"

The brunette stepped around the room, taking in her surroundings, considering her next words. Haruka was already ahead of the conversation.

"So you'll be willing to tell the courts that I have more than a stable life to take on everything?" The blonde captain sat on the bed, her long legs hanging off. The pit of her stomach dropped at the idea of what she was asking her new friend.

"I have more than that..." Makoto hesitated, knowing what she was asking of _her_ new companion. "I actually have a job offer for you—" She stopped a moment, immediately forgetting how she was going to fraise everything: Haruka was already not taking it well, if the look on her face was an accurate depiction. Her dark blue eyes widened, and her jaw line tightened, but Makoto ignored the look. "Don't look so stricken, Captain."

The _Lune_ Queen had wanted Haruka in her service for a long while—Makoto never knew the true reason. But as soon as she first met the tall blonde titan, instantly she respected her, despite the fact that she was a pirate with a full pirate crew. She was already privateered to one of the Queen's major allies and generals. Ever since the first meeting concerning the doll, the Queen had been pressuring Makoto to tell Haruka of the "position opening" because it was of the utmost importance. Rumors had been going around that Setsuna had already been trying to ease the blonde captain into the force.

Now was the time to make the move—even if Captain Tenoh was going to be forced into it. More or less.

"My Queen has heard much about you and your exploits and is willing you to offer you a job of sorts—"

"I will not be privateered," snapped Haruka coldly. "I'm already—"

"Privateered, yes," Makoto said patiently. She shifted her weight uncomfortably. "But the Queen still offers the position to you. When she heard of your problem, she wanted to help. You will no longer be in the pillaging and hunting business, so to speak, but in her service. You'll have a home, and you will be rewarded generously. The stable life that you need Captain." The brunette said the last part slowly, emphasizing that she would be getting what she wanted all along. She hoped anyway—Haruka seemed quite the wild spirit.

"I'm being blackmailed," said Tenoh bluntly. Her face was blank, carefully controlled, however her eyes showed a fury that begged the be unleashed. Makoto eyed Proteus wearily before turning her attention back to the blonde. "If I say no, then you won't represent me, and everything will continue to build up against me. I'll lose. If I say yes, then you'll represent me—I'll win. But I'll be put into slavery."

"Not so harshly put, but yes."

Haruka stood up on two unsteady legs, suddenly feeling years older. She began to laugh bitterly in spite of herself. She clapped her hands together. "You finally have me. Someone has finally captured me." She paused for a moment, feeling ill suddenly. "Get out."

Makoto gave a slight bow before turning to leave. "I shall see you tomorrow."

When she moved towards the door, she felt another presence trailing right behind her. The door closed when she was out of the room, and she turned around to see Proteus' bearded face, looking at her with an unreadable expression. Finally his face broke into a kind grin.

"I feel as though that there was no way out for either of you, and that you were put between a rock and a hard place."

"I wouldn't mind having her at my side on the battlefield," Makoto shrugged, trying to make the atmosphere lighter. Her dry humor wasn't helping. She dropped her shoulders when she realized that they were tensed.

"Who knows," he said, moving towards his own private quarters, "It might be the best for my captain to do some legal work. But she'll come around—and she knows that everything comes at a price."

"Even if it means losing your captain in that instance?" Makoto asked. She looked sad, guilty before she turned to go down the stairway and towards the exit.

* * *

_We went on like nothing happened for several days after. Elsa seemed to have forgotten about the whole thing, save for a few moments when I caught her staring into nothing. I tried to shove all that I was feeling away so that I could be there for her. But it was hard._

_ I felt like I was getting in the way in the normal life she could have been having. If it weren't for the shipwreck... If it weren't for my being so straight forward. Suddenly I felt like some disease._

_ So it came as a sort of blessing from the Gods when the doorbell rang again._

_ I was with Elsa in her room, resting my head on her belly, while she stroked my hair. The curtains were drawn open, the late morning sun filtering in. It echoed through the house, shattering our already fragile world. _

_ There were two different reactions: Elsa raised up, her face paling, excitement moving her limbs into action. She was out of the bed within the blink of an eye. The other was my own: I suddenly felt heavy, not wanting to move from the empty bed._

_ Finally, we both made our way down the stairs, one of the staff waiting for us, as well as Elsa's father. The figure was hidden by their bodies. Elsa and I waited, appearing to be patient. I gripped the hand railing._

_ Finally the two men in front of the door turned around to look at us. Elsa's father stepped away from the door, and finally we were able to see the third party standing right outside the door._

_ "Proteus?" My voice was suddenly hoarse, relieved._

_ He stepped through the door, one side of his body leaning onto a cane. He looked thinner, though his charisma and energy hadn't changed a bit. He smiled up at me, as I made my way towards him._

_ We embraced._

_ "What happened to you, my dear?" he asked. He was eying my women's clothing, a questioning look on his face. The old man had never once known me to willingly wear frills, lace, and silk. "We have been looking all over for you. The only way that I even found you was from one of the store keeps in the nearby town."_

_ We all moved to the parlor. Elsa was at my side, while Proteus was across from me. Elsa's father was in one of the over-stuffed chairs, while the other man went into the kitchens to retrieve some tea for us all. The old gentleman filled me in one what had happened to the crew after the ship had wreck (leaving out the parts about piracy of course.) Elsa held my hand._

_ "So we were going to set sail within the week," Proteus finished some minutes later._

_ At first my brain didn't register what he said. "What?" I asked, dumb._

_ "We are going to set off within the week," he said again._

_ I could feel Elsa's eyes staring into me, and was afraid to look over at her. Slowly, I turned my head, making myself face her. And when I did, I looked down, at my lap, a pressure growing in my ears that blotted out every sound around me, save for Proteus' voice._

_ "I will be at the Sky Hotel, along with the remainder of the crew, if you would like to join us." Proteus caught onto something, and gave me the room and time that I needed._

_ He finally left some minutes later. I didn't get up to embrace him, numb and unable to think. When I glanced over to look at Elsa once more, she was looking down at her hands._

_ "What are you going to do?" she asked. Her voice was barely above a whisper. Her father left after Proteus had gone, and we were alone._

_ "It would be best if I were to go," I said. I wasn't thinking, letting my mind speak. I didn't even know what I was saying! _

_ "You have your life, and with my stepping in it, I'm only getting in the way. I have my own life as well—and even if you were able to go with me—it is not a life that you can live." _

_ I felt like I was contaminating her life. I loved her, and didn't want to ruin her future and her family's reputation. She had her life—I had lost mine long ago._

_ In the room, the silence was like a heavy blanket, threatening to suffocate me. Yet I couldn't get up to leave—nor could I look at Elsa, afraid of what would be on her face._

_ "I understand," she said, her voice still so quiet. "It is a sensible decision. The seas call to you, and it would not be fair of me to ask you to stay here at my side. And I saw that even at the beginning of your arrival."_

_ I looked over at her, confused. We finally looked at each other, a slight smile forming on her face._

_ "You did you not see it within yourself?" She paused, before going on. "Plus I am an average lady, who will have an average life. That is what I was meant to do."_

_ "I didn't mean that you were ordinary," I said quickly. "You are anything but that—"_

_ "Silence!" Elsa's voice was cold. The softness of her face was gone, and suddenly I felt as if I was on the outside, no longer a part of this lady's world. I swallowed. "I think you_ should_ leave very soon," she said finally. "And I will send a reply to my fiance's letter and accept his marriage proposal."_

_ She finally left, leaving me in the emptiness of the room._

_ And then it was over._

_I thought it was all over, and that I would never hear anything of her for the rest of my life—save for in my memories and in my dreams. A mistake that I stopped, a mistake that could have been so much worse._

_ It was only years later when I did hear from her. And that is why I am writing to you—because I realize that I did make a horrible mistake. Because I heard from her in a way that I didn't expect._

_ You see... Elsa had been brutally killed in an accident—while in the house of her husband. Killed in a way that I don't believe _was_ an accident. And now I have to protect what is left of her because I feel that I am responsible in some way for her sudden death._

* * *

The court room was bustling, people shifting nervously around in their seats—or that could have been Haruka reflecting what she was feeling. She sat next to her own lawyer, unable to keep still. Finally, she sat on her own hands and took a couple of deep breaths, eying the stand. Already up on it was Makoto, reflecting the sort of confidence that the blonde sea captain would feel out on the battlefield: ready to go with guns blazing. Haruka wasn't sure if she liked her anymore.

The green eyed brunette wore her uniform, sitting easily in the chair next to the judge. All of her badges gleamed proudly in the light, a smirk clear on her face. Like a predictor over prey, she watched Heracles' lawyer moving back and forth in front of the stand. He didn't look all that eager to begin questioning her, but eventually he warmed up to the idea. After a while, Haruka decided, he looked like he was just as irritated by the brunette as he had been with her the day before.

"So the 'job' offer that was given to Miss Tenoh was given out by you?" the opposing lawyer asked the brunette captain.

"No," Makoto said, shaking her head slightly, "It was given to her by my Queen."

The thin-set man looked like he didn't believe her. "Right."

"My Queen is the ruler of _Lune_, which I'm sure that you've heard of, sir. We have been giving services to your country for the past decade, so you know that the offer comes from a reputable source."

"And may I have proof of this offer and where it comes from?"

Makoto barely batted an eye lash. She moved her hand into her jacket, where there was an inside pocket. Safely hidden in that pocket was a thick, pearl-colored envelope, which Haruka didn't know anything about. Deftly, the brunette opened the front by sliding a finger under the lip, freeing the document inside.

"Here it is, sir," she said politely, though her lantern green eyes were bright with glee. She held the thick parchment out for the man to take and show to the judge. The jury shifted in their seats as they subconsciously tried to crane their necks to see the paper that she handed off. The slim lawyer grudgingly handed it off to the older gentleman. The bearded man began to skim through it.

"I see that it isn't signed," the judge said, while he still looked over the sheet.

"We have been talking about this offer for months, but I had yet to see her after the preparations were made so that she could sign it. We are both very busy women and each very hard to get a hold of. I finally found where she was going to be within the past week and was able to meet her just last night."

"I see," the judge finally said, looking up at the sky captain. He handed the document back over.

"So you are a General of _Lune_?" asked the skinny gentleman as he walked back over.

Before Makoto could answer the judge looked over at the man. "Her ranking is credible so you do not need to question this lady on her background. The document is more than enough, as well as the badges that she wears."

The thin man pursed his lips, and Haruka glanced over to watch Heracles' expression. The only thing that she could see of any irritation was him shifting his weight before crossing one leg over the other. His face was carefully concealed of any emotion other than a vague sort of smile on his lips. If Haruka had been attracted to men, she might have found him attractive now that she thought about it—if it weren't for the fact that he was most likely a killer.

She moved her dark blue eyes back towards the stand where the lawyer continued to question the sky captain. The interrogator appeared to be slowly losing his temper now that the carpet had been taken out from under him. Slowly, she began to hope—even with her new job waiting for her after the trial's completion. Finally the short man gave up, and her own lawyer took over, though he only had one question:

"So, Haruka will have a stable job, not as lucrative... as her last one?" the more dignified man asked. He was the only person in the whole town that knew the exact details of her career. When she first met him, it had taken Haruka quite a while to realize that he had a bald spot near the top of his head. "And she will have her own lands to do with what she wills, as well as being paid handsomely for the position she will be taking—a high ranking position? She will... be stable?"

The man sounded relieved. He didn't like the idea of representing a pirate captain who cross dressed in gentlemen's clothing. His paled face gained back some of the color it had lost as he eyed the green-eyed brunette. Slowly she nodded and he turned away.

"No more questions."

At Makoto's sudden appearance, both sides had to have the fair chance of asking the new witness questions. Finally the trial was back on track, and Heracles took his place at the stand when the brunette finally left. They both eyed each other for different reasons: Makoto eyed the auburn-haired man suspiciously, after reading the message that blonde sea captain had sent her just the day before. She tore her attention away so that she could sit at the table where Haruka sat. Heracles had eyed her with an amused curiosity as he took his place at the stand—a look that made the blonde rage. _Disloyal son of a—_

The questioning was short—her own lawyer wasn't so keen on badgering his witnesses as much as the smaller man who currently sat impatiently at the opposing table. After all, there wasn't much that the balding man could do—there was no proof, at least as far as the law of the husband doing anything wrong. Plus everyone knew the man: he was charming, almost matching Haruka's own charm. She would have had more of a chance if they had gotten to know her just as well as Heracles On top of that, he was charismatic, and a hard working gentleman—he had all of country's ideals wrapped into one person. Save for one hidden trait that the blonde sea captain wished she could reveal.

Unfortunately that wasn't the way to win the war. She was trying to attack in another way, since there was no way to bring out his darker side: through Elsa's Last Will and Testament and through Makoto.

During Heracles' questioning, he remained the smooth and controlled man that Haruka had seen before. Slowly, she felt her energy draining from her body; it was an unusual feeling. Maybe it was what it was like to lose a battle. Her lawyer's voice slowly began to echo around the room as she tried to keep her own eyes open, the lights above her head becoming super saturated.

"Haruka?"

Makoto's voice rang sharply in her ears, and she winced. Slowly she looked over at the sky captain, a questioning look on her face. The two women stared at each other, while the blonde tried her best to act like there was nothing wrong. What was happening? Everything slowly began to drag around her, as if the world was moving on its axis without her. She barely noticed Heracles leaving the stand and her own name being called for her to rise.

Taking a couple of deep breaths, she stood steadily—though it took all of her self control to not trip. Both Proteus and Makoto were not fooled and watched her worriedly: there was nothing that they could do. By some luck sent from the Gods, she made it to her seat, and sat, relieved, into the leather-cushion.

"You came out here as soon as you got the letter, did you not?" asked the balding man in front of her. Good, he was starting off simple—he was proving that she didn't have to be dragged along by her hair to be at the trial. She _wanted_ what was offered to her in the Will.

"Yes," she said. The blonde captain kept it short and simple.

As he went on to the next question, her chest began to pound like she wasn't getting enough air. She could feel the color draining from her face; her hands becoming cold as her heart began to struggle under some sort of weight that was pressing against it. The blonde slowly nodded her head and answered—she didn't know what she was saying, but her voice sounded clear and sharp.

_Breathe!_ she told herself, _breathe for God's sake!_

She glanced away from her lawyer to look at Makoto, wondering how bad it was: it could have all been in her head. One of Makoto's eyebrows angled downwards with worry, her mouth slightly open. Her large hands gripped the edge of the table—this was not good.

Another question. Robotically, she could hear her voice echoing in her head answering as if on cue. Her chest felt like it was on fire by this point, her hand shooting to her collarbone. Her skin was cold and clammy to the touch. Vaguely, she was aware of the fact that she was still answering the question; she was shaking her head.

And then suddenly, the feeling was gone. The colors around her were no longer oozing, moving back into the objects that they colored. Blood returned to her limbs, while her heart was set lose—she was able to breathe.

"And your relationship with your father gave you a reason to want to start a stable family of your own eventually?" went on the lawyer as if nothing had happened.

What the hell? How much had she told the court? She forced a weak smile, and nodded. "Yes, that is it exactly," she apparently finished.

Finally, she was dismissed and the court was let out for the rest of the evening. Her companions piled all around her, worried looks on their faces. Puck and Cupid had barely noticed any change in her demeanor while up on the stand, and became worried when notified by their first in command. Haruka was relieved that there were only two people in the whole house that had even noticed the subtle change. When they finally got out into the street to board their private carriage, Makoto finally spoke.

"What in Jove's name happened up there?" she asked, her voice terse.

Puck finally started the carriage, the black box jerking from the movement of the horses. Cupid was standing in back outside of the carriage. Haruka turned her attention back to the inside of the small room. She shook her head.

"I don't know. All I know was that I was praying that no one would notice—anything odd going on around me, would take whatever chances I had left."

"I don't think anyone else noticed," Proteus said, his voice quiet and grave. "I just hope, my captain, that it wasn't anything serious and life threatening.

The trio inside the carriage sat silently on the way back to the manor resting at the center of town. Haruka looked out of the window, watching everything move around them, breathing in and out. Her heart beat on as if nothing had happened, her body moving just as quickly and alertly as it had ever done. It was like a passing of a serious storm. She hoped it would be the only serious storm that her body would have to deal with for quite some time yet.

* * *

_I thought it was all over, and that I would never hear anything of her for the rest of my life—save for in my memories and in my dreams. A mistake that I stopped, a mistake that could have been so much worse._

_It was only years later when I did hear from her. And that is why I am writing to you, Michiru—because I realize that I did make a horrible mistake. Because I heard from her in a way that I didn't expect._

_You see... Elsa had been brutally killed in an accident—while in the house of her husband. Killed in a way that I don't believe _was_ an accident. And now I have to protect what is left of her because I feel that I am responsible in some way for her sudden death. I am just as guilty as he is for her murder._

_I have never told anyone about our affair, and wouldn't dare to, at this point, other than you. I wouldn't dare soil her name. But for some reason, our short time together has made an impression, and I have been called to her defense, and called to take away what really belongs to her husband. And now once buried memories, are now brought back up to the surface..._

* * *

**AN:**

**As always, thank you** for your reviews! Yeah, this is the letter to Michiru (the one that our blue haired person started reading at the end of Act 8), petiyaka. Thanks! ^_^


	13. Act Eleven

**Act Eleven: New Beginnings**

Michiru pulled the letter away from her face. The aqua haired woman had read the letter over at least three times, the same feeling of shock filtering through her. As she read the letter the first time she worried that Haruka was leaving her, and returning to this girl. When she finally got to the end, she felt guilt surging through her. This woman was dead! How dare she feel that way!

But at the same time, she wondered what it was that Haruka had gotten from Elsa and her will that would make her act with such ferocity. What was it that she had gotten that would make her give up her way of life? And again Michiru felt more feelings of guilt when she wondered if Haruka would be able to visit her since she technically wasn't a pirate captain anymore—something that was noted at the very end of the letter as if hastily written down before the letter was sent. At those last thoughts, her eyes would move to read the letter again, hoping to find some sort of clue that would lead her to what the blonde ex-pirate captain had received. There was nothing.

Well, she consoled herself, at least she knew where the blonde sea captain was, even though she had no idea of when she was going to be back. The aqua haired maiden realized that she hadn't really had the chance to worry much about anything until today. For Gods knew how long she had been more preoccupied with her own survival.

Carefully, she folded up the letter written on the thick parchment and put it where it would be safe—an elaborately carved box which she hid under her mattress. The logical part of Michiru told her that if anything changed that Haruka would send some sort of word if anything major happened—she had done so before. The bar maiden would know for sure if Haruka wasn't going to be returning. She looked out of her small window (more of a port hole than anything else) over looking the sea and the supports of the extended part of Elysia just above her head. It was twilight, the silver of the moon hitting the ocean. So all that she had to do was wait. Which was easier said than done.

* * *

Strangely, she didn't have to wait all that long for her blonde sea captain. Only about half a week later did she catch any word of the ship, the _Iphis_. Occasionally, during her shifts at the bar, she would hear about ships docking, the _Orpheus_, the _Jocasta_, and so on amongst the docking crew. Because the island was so large, she it was sometimes rare that she saw a familiar face amongst the large and wide spread crew. The aqua haired maiden bit her lower lip as she wiped down one of the wooden tables, over hearing one of the bearded men—the _Iphis_ had docked.

Something thrilled in the pit of her stomach when she heard those words. But she kept her focus on the job in front of her. _Just keep going_, she forced herself. Her fingers trembled under the grip of the rag she was using to scrub at the table. Michiru moved away from the men as if they tempted her to run, and moved to the next table—and the next. Time passed, and she thought that she _should_ meet Haruka, why not? She swallowed; there were plenty of reasons, and so she stayed, out of fear, nervousness, and resolve. Haruka had more to worry about, and perhaps the aqua haired maiden didn't matter at that moment.

The afternoon turned to evening, and then night. By that time, Michiru worked her hardest to keep herself busy, trying to ignore the passing of time, but she was very aware of each and every minute that was ticked away. The candles were lit inside lanterns and the tavern glowed warmly. The soft whisperings of voices hummed in her ears, and she let her mind float into that instead of the anxiety that tormented her. Finally Oberon relieved her, and she was allowed to go.

Numbly the bar maiden left the building, but hesitated just outside where some of the tables were. Something pulled and tugged at her with each step; she didn't want to leave, she wanted to wait for Haruka. Michiru took in a shaky breath and forced herself onward towards her home, knowing very well that the _Iphis _was close by. As she moved towards the lower levels, she wondered why the blonde sea captain had not made her way towards the Ariel? Didn't she usually come immediately to the bar after the ship docked? Michiru didn't know the answer to that. Not normally she waited so eagerly and so distrustfully.

After a sleepless night, the bar maiden arrived early to the _Ariel_, having nowhere else to go. She had another evening shift, but she needed something to keep busy, she needed to have crowds of people around her to drown all of her thoughts and worries. Something that would keep all of the doubt at bay. The aqua haired woman could have gone to the _Menarsia_ and visited the hotel owner, but immediately she dismissed it—he clearly had troubles of his own. The princess had been taken back to her home country, while he was left alone and distraught. The older woman didn't want to feel any of the emotions that she would most likely soon be feeling.

When she entered into the place that felt like home, she found Oberon at his usual spot behind the bar, chatting, while fastidiously scrubbing at the long, thick table. She watched him place a clean glass mug onto the shelf above his head, his laughter distinctive above the thousands of conversations that were taking place inside the cramped space. Even though Michiru didn't make her entrance known, he seemed to sense her and raised his eyes to meet hers. The woman couldn't help but to smile sheepishly and look shyly down at the ground as if she had something to hide.

"My dear!" called the bar owner, waving a large skillet-sized hand towards an empty stool when she was within feet from the bar. The man who he had been talking to nodded his head and left when he realized that the conversation was over. "How are you? You seem like you have a lot on your mind for the passed few weeks, and it is beginning to worry me." Before Michiru could argue and deny that fact, his classic warm and welcoming smile spread on his face, and she found that she didn't know what to say other than the truth.

"I am thinking about..." Her thoughts stumbled around in her brain, and she took a couple of deep breaths, looking down at her lap where her hands rested. "Haruka..." She lifted her head. "The blonde sea captain that I am always pining about. I mean, that's one of the things that I have been thinking about anyway." _The tortures that I have been put through_, she added in her mind dryly. That was something that she wasn't going to talk about with anyone.

The large man chuckled. He sat down in front of her and steepled his fingers. "And why would you be worried about your romance?"

"Small things, things that don't matter. I mean my feelings should not be as they are—I should not care so much for her, and at the same time I worry that she doesn't care for me nearly as much."

Oberon smile grew, though his fingers fidgeted. He was a man that constantly needed something to do with them, and currently there was nothing. She vaguely watched him grab for his old rag and slowly fold it. "My, you are smitten my dear. Why would she not care for you as much as you don't care to admit?" He cocked his head to the side, staring at her blank face and reddening cheeks. "I don't think you see it do you?"

Michiru's cheeks suddenly turned to their normal tanned color, and her eyes widened in confusion. "What do you mean?"

The bar keep crossed his large arms over his broad chest, and chuckled at some joke that the aqua haired maiden didn't quite get. He shook his head, and his idle fingers finally found something to do: one of the regulars left his mug near the other end of the table. The conversation paused for a few moments while Oberon turned to get it and came back. From under the table, he dipped into the soapy, murky bucket of water that Michiru knew was there, and he brought it back out. Promptly, he began to dry it. Michiru was suddenly aware that she wasn't doing anything, despite the fact that she wasn't supposed to. She gripped the edge of the table, and looked up at him, curious.

"I was just as blind as you were when I was your age—centuries and centuries ago." The heavy mug began to squeal as the rag he was using dragged across it. "I almost miss the thrill of it all—and yet I do not want to be you at the same time," he pondered out loud. Suddenly his eyes lit up, and he nodded towards Michiru.

Michiru straightened up confused at his sudden action, and followed his line of sight—and every muscle in her body froze. Before her, surrounded in the late morning light was Haruka. Michiru couldn't help herself, but she felt as if the sea captain was different in some sort of untouchable way. But as soon as the blonde realized that she had been looking, a shy smile spread all of over her face, and she shoved her hands into the pockets of her silken jacket, her shoulders hunched. Michiru was reminded of a school boy with a crush on his teacher.

Oberon watched what could have been a very romantic scene turn into something a bit more clumsy. He watched his employee grip the edges of her stool as she struggled with coming up with something to say, while Haruka took a few slow strides towards her.

"Ha-ha-haruka," stammered the aqua haired maiden dumbly. Finally she stood up and began to make her move. The blonde sea captain dragged her hands out of their pockets, though she didn't seem to know what to do with them other than that step.

The bar keep pulled his attention from the slowly unfolding scene and began to riffle around under the table with a long sigh. Haruka, during those few moments, seemed to unfreeze and deftly took a seat next to her maiden, looking down warmly at her.

The aqua haired maiden found the sudden heat on her left side distracting and she lost the few coherent thoughts in her brain once more, and her mental net would be cast out to sea when Haruka lowered her lips towards her. Michiru didn't stop her, a part of her not registering the fact that this was reality. Everything around her dropped to a faint hum, and the light behind her eyelids were bright, and the heat from Haruka's lips just as warm. She felt the sea captain's hand cup gently the back of her head. And then she realized that Haruka had already pulled away.

She looked up at her bewildered and suddenly feeling betrayed. Everything around her suddenly snapped back into play, people moving all around her, carrying beer, snacks, and loud conversation. Haruka didn't seem to have noticed a faint smile on her lips.

"How have you been?" she asked. What a conversation starter.

Michiru glanced away her thoughts immediately moving to her time in the cave with that mad scientist. To Elios and the pink haired princess. Knowing her answer, she looked back up, and smiled. "The same as it has always been. How about you? Any tales of fantasy and the highest of adventures?"

Haruka looked at her sideways. "You did get my letter, did you?" The aqua haired maiden couldn't help but notice that she looked slightly worried.

"Yes. And I was confused and worried. How did the judgment go? What was it you were defending?" Michiru was about to go on, but the blonde sea captain put a gentle, long finger to her lips.

"I will answer everything in time, but first," she said, looking around herself, "I would prefer to be in a more private location."

Just then Oberon moved forward from his position behind the bar, and held out a large hand. When the two women looked over to see what was in it, they found a single brass key. Michiru hissed, her cheeks coloring. "We don't need that—" she began, but Haruka had already taken the small object from the large man before she could debate any farther. Her eyes looked up venomously at her blonde friend, while Haruka could only smile slightly, while digging in her pockets with her remaining free hand.

The bar keep raised a hand. "There is no need for payment."

And again, before the bar maiden could react, Haruka was pulling her gently away by her hand, the maiden looking over at her shoulder back at Oberon who winked at her and waved. They moved and weaved around the groups of people hanging around tables. No one took notice of the couple as they made their way towards the second floor.

"You act as if I am going to bite you," Haruka murmured, loud enough so that Michiru could only hear her. Music from the upcoming second floor floated down towards them—one of the usual musicians on a lilting flute. It was then that the aqua haired maiden found that her fears were quite unfounded, and she felt her hostile feelings melt away. "I just want somewhere quiet for a while—I have quite a headache coming on. When I'm settled I will tell you my story."

Michiru suddenly stopped near the top of the stairs. "I have a shift starting this afternoon!"

"I'll finish, and you can take your shift—then join me again, and we can talk some more." Somehow Michiru read the look that the blonde gave her as, _you can tell me how _you've_ been doing when I was gone._ She didn't hesitate and smiled: she would deal with that later.

"That job offer," Michiru asked.

They came to the top of the stairs, and now Michiru was leading the way since she knew exactly where all of the rooms were located. Haruka handed her the key when they switched places, and the aqua haired woman couldn't help but notice the hopeless look that entered Haruka's face, but the look was gone the next millisecond. Instead a sly smile moved onto her face.

"Don't worry, everything will be cleared up," reassured the blonde. Michiru didn't find it quite so reassuring, remembering the hopeless look from seconds before.

The next few hours was spent listening to Haruka and her recounting of what happened to her the many weeks that she had been missing from the docks of Elysia. Michiru tried her best to not interrupt, biting the inside of her check whenever she felt the urge. After a while she found that she was sinking into the blonde sea captain's words and she felt as if she was walking behind Haruka the whole time she had been away. With her during her time in court; with her during her times alone; with her crew. She hardly noticed the time passing, and Haruka took her time, telling her tale as if she wanted her there with her.

When Michiru finally snapped back into the present, it was when Haruka's voice had gone hoarse. And even then she enjoyed the sound of the blonde's rich voice, and content with just having that of Haruka. The bar maiden finally lifted off the bed, finding her legs stiff from sitting in the same position for so long, and momentarily left the room to get some tea for them both, as well as a bite to eat. Haruka shifted on the bed moving so that her back rested against the head board. She yawed.

Michiru returned and they ate in silence, the aqua haired maiden's thoughts still back in the small town where Elsa had grown up. Haruka finally finished her tale minutes before Michiru had to be downstairs for her shift. The maiden looked up questioningly at the sea captain.

"Well?" she asked expectantly. She slowly stood up, very aware this time that her legs needed blood to flow into them before taking anymore steps. Her hands straightened out any invisible wrinkles in her flowing dress.

Haruka looked confused for a moment. "Well, what?" Then her eyes widened.

"What was it that you were fighting to get from this Heracles?" the bar maiden prompted stubbornly. She was pushing it. Even though she was only a floor from where she was supposed to be, she was most likely going to be late.

The blonde sea captain pulled her eyes away from the woman, looking passed her at the door. She sucked in a deep breath, as if she was having a hard time even telling her. "It was Elsa's..." She hesitated, then began again, this time everything coming out in a rush of words. "It was Elsa's child. A daughter. It was put into her will that I would gain custody if she were to die. But I _wanted_ to adopt her." Haruka turned her head to look out of the window on the opposite wall. "Though I don't know what I've gotten myself into."

"Oh Haruka!" It was all that Michiru could get out and she felt her knees go weak. The news hit her hard and she didn't know how to react. She felt happy, thrilled, but somehow scared for the blonde sea captain. She wanted to hug her, to hold her. But when she did take a step forward, Haruka was looking at her with a wistful smile—there was a wall between them as if Haruka was still holding back something. All that the bar maiden could do was clasp her hands together in front of her mouth.

Haruka waved her hand. "You should get onto your shift, so that you can return. We still have some things to talk about." The blonde forced an uneasy smile.

The aqua haired bar maiden slowly nodded her head, trying to understand, and then she left the room. When Michiru did move to the down stairs, she found that the place was buzzing and alive. Other barmaids weaved in and out and around tables, arms laden with trays. The noise and chaos made the aqua haired woman very aware of how numb she felt. It all wasn't as bad as she thought it was—very good in fact. Haruka's sudden motherhood might be a good thing for the blonde... And yet there was still the unspoken subject of Haruka's newest position. As she moved into the crowd, Michiru found that she was tittering between to unreal worlds, between the good and the bad.

As she picked up her apron and strung it about herself, she decided that if Haruka was there, literally waiting above her head, then it had to be good news. The blonde was including her in her life. However, the queasy feeling in her stomach didn't make her feel any better about it.

If she thought her shift the day before was grueling, she was wrong. As she served drinks, played cards, and laughed at half-listened to jokes, she flipped between the excitement of her blonde being just upstairs, and nervousness at what they had left to talk about. Oberon took note of her slight gestures, but didn't say a word, and the aqua haired maiden was thankful for it. The sun light slowly changed from bright yellow of the afternoon to a slowly reddening orange, which showed the passing of time, even when she avoided the clocks.

While she was bent over serving drinks, she felt a cool hand softly touching her shoulder. Michiru never jumped because of how gentle and familiar those fingers were. She turned around and she found the blonde sea captain standing almost shyly in front of her.

"I'm just here to say that I am going to return to the ship for a bit—you know," she shrugged nonchalantly, "To check on Elsa's baby. I mean Proteus is taking care of her because he seems to have a way with children— but I just think that it would be more responsible of me to actually interact with her... He can't babysit forever..."

Michiru had to stifle a laugh at the troubled look on Haruka's face—like she would indeed be lost without her first in command's help. But she slowly nodded her head and found that she was still smiling stupidly after the blonde. That _was _a good sign—yes, all of these small gestures that Haruka was doing was a sign that all was secure between the two women. Even though the seemingly logical thought made no sense—there was no news yet of the sea captain's new position, Michiru shook her head of the complicated thoughts and feelings, and returned to her work as her blonde disappeared through the doorway.

* * *

Just as it began to darken outside, only then did the aqua haired woman forget the time. She didn't even notice when Haruka returned as she worked around customers, the sailors, captains, pirates, and other shady characters. The air became less about chaos and more about serenity and warmth.

Her shift was finally over somewhere near midnight, and she limped upwards where her rented room and Haruka waited. The musician playing for the night played on an alien stringed instrument—he—or she—would be playing until close, which was going to be somewhere within a few hours. When she came to the room, she found the warm glow from a lamp in the crevice between the floor and the door. The bar maiden opened the door and found the sea captain at the desk at the opposite end of the bed, looking at what looked like colorful sheets of parchment. As she got closer, she found that they were detailed maps.

Michiru ran her fingers down the other woman's shoulders. "I'm back," she murmured, stating the obvious.

Haruka chuckled, though her eyes were still on the map. After a few moments, she finally tore her eyes away from the parchment. "How was you day?" The blonde slowly and stiffly stood up, and took Michiru's hand and began to lead her towards the bed. Both women sat down with a slight groan of bed springs. The atmosphere suddenly became serious. The aqua haired bar maiden frown slightly and moved towards the end of the bed. After a millisecond of debate, she decided to follow the pleasantries.

"My day was fine, we had to kick out one of the drunks and I won a poker game—how about your day?"

"Went back to my ship for a while and played with Haumea—the baby's name. And then grabbed some maps to plan out a course to the Lune Kingdom."

Michiru felt her stomach drop. "You're going there right afterwords?" She looked up at Haruka when she realized that she was looking down at her lap.

The blonde sea captain sighed and ran a hand through her thick hair. She suddenly looked older as she was looking down at her own lap, breaking the momentary eye contact. "That's what I said I would do. In a few days at least." She looked up and glanced at her friend in the eyes once more. "Which leads me to my next topic." The blonde suddenly began to fidget with her long, tanned fingers, while the aqua haired maiden sat with her heart pounding in her ears, waiting for her to word the next sentence.

"I was wondering," Haruka started slowly, "that if you would be willing to come with me."

She stood up, her palms up in peace. "I—I mean it's sudden, I know—and it's sure as hell moving us a lot faster than I had wanted. But I thought I would ask because I want _you_ there with me." She turned her head to the side beseechingly. "My visits here would be far more limited than they are now."

As Haruka was saying all of this she had begun to pace, her whole body unable to keep still. She wasn't looking at Michiru the whole time, and it dawned on the bar maiden that Haruka had expected her to say _no_. Yet she stayed silent, not knowing how to feel. Michiru realized that she was gripping the edges of the bed. She looked back up at the captain, her mind keying back into the blonde's rambling.

"I _am _uprooting your life here, and I think that you're comfortable in this place. It is your home of course." Finally Haruka seemed to snap out of it, and was finally looking at the aqua haired maiden, looking greatly troubled. Michiru could almost feel her as she searched her face for an answer.

But Michiru didn't have anything to say. A couple of times she opened her mouth, only to close it back again. She had expected something worse. Her heart hammered in her chest, thrilled about how the blonde sea captain cared so much about her. Dare she think that Haruka _loved_ her? Even though she didn't have an answer, and Haruka's offered unearthed many problems, she suddenly felt calm. As Haruka stood in front of her, waiting and looking so agonized, the aqua haired woman patted the place next to her. Obediently the blonde took her seat next to Michiru.

"Let's talk it out," she finally said. After all, she needed to weigh the pros and cons, as well unearth her strangely silent emotions. She didn't want to be too quick about it. Cautious. Michiru took a chance and reached out with both of her hands to hold on to one of Haruka's. She felt confidence when the blonde didn't pull away. "It is a lot to carry..."

"Of course," Haruka stammered. She brought her free hand over Michiru's and squeezed. Her eyes lit up, and Michiru wondered if the captain still expected her to say no.

"I want to know more about Haumea," Michiru started, her voice soft.

The aqua haired maiden slowly came to as the morning sun rose. Both women had stayed up well into the night, talking, at first about Haruka's new found daughter, and then onto their options—and then later, somehow daydreaming about their future together. They alternated between tales of Michiru taking care of the baby, singing songs into the twilight, waiting for her "prince charming" to come home—the bar maiden had to roll her eyes at that one. But she didn't find her own story of Haruka trying to tutor Haumea in French too unbelievable, rolling the French "r" from the back of her throat—to which Haruka still couldn't do to that day. Michiru then found out, even after years of being tutored, Haruka still failed at the romance language.

They both avoided the topic of Haruka's oncoming service with the Lune Kingdom. Both had heard news and rumors over time of the tensions between the kingdom and a seemingly distant empire. War seemed immanent.

Haruka, who had taken her perch with her head in the aqua maiden's lap, slowly began to drift off, while Michiru slowly sank from her sitting position to resting her head on the pillows. Distractedly, she stroked the sea captain's thick blonde hair. She enjoyed this simple motion, the full feeling in her chest—and the effortlessness of just _being_. And all around this woman whom she had only seen every few weeks over a period of about a year! Yes, she already knew her answer to Haruka.

As she shifted, Michiru found that the bed was empty. Her eyes snapped open, her body squirmed around in the sheets feeling around for that second body. After a second thought, the aqua haired woman paused, smiled, then lifted herself up. In front of her faced Haruka's back, sitting at the desk. The bar maiden slowly slithered out of the bed and moved towards the blonde.

The blonde sea captain was completely unaware of the slowly approaching woman—until soft, long arms were draped right across her collar bones. The map in front of her was long forgotten at the moment, and the idea of having Michiru around put her in a rather good mood. Then Haruka turned her head to look up at the woman standing above her, who in her opinion, smiled at her rather invitingly. Haruka stretched her neck to kiss her new found companion. A thrill shot through her system when she was invited farther rather than playfully pushed away—Michiru parted her lips, and Haruka's obligated tongue moved in to explore.

Her toned arms moved around the bar maiden, and she moved her own body towards the side so that Michiru could sit comfortably on her lap. One of her hands explored the aqua haired woman's back, the curves of muscle and bone, lower and lower still, along her rump and thigh. Michiru draped her arm about the blonde's waist, and her free hand at the nape of her neck as their kiss deepened.

It was finally the bar maiden that finally broke the kiss. "Good morning," she said softly.

"Indeed," agreed the blonde, closing the tiny space between them once more. Her hands, at the same time, moved to unbutton the back of her dress, while the aqua haired maiden continued to reposition herself until she was straddling the preoccupied sea captain.

Haruka groaned with frustration—from the buttons that her fingers were tangled in and the intense heat pressing between her legs—was she that nervous and that out of practice? As their kiss deepened, Michiru came to the rescue and shifted her shoulders until the straps slowly slid downward, along with the scooped neckline.

"Thank you," murmured the blonde, kissing the aqua maiden's long neck.

More cleverly than the blonde sea captain, Michiru unbuttoned the front of Haruka's shirt, pressing them tighter together, more heat emanating from them both. Haruka kissed lower and lower towards the aqua haired woman's ever-blossoming cleavage, using her nimble fingers to lower the neckline of Michiru's dress. She was half out of her own shirt but she didn't seem to notice, more focused on Michiru's hand sinking lower and lower between them.

"Direct," she observed, she leaned her head against the back of her chair urging Michiru farther.

The aqua haired maiden's lips were hot against hers, and at first Haruka thought that she wasn't going to answer—not that she minded. She was having a hard enough time as it was focusing on their lips, where her own hands were, and Michiru's fingers slithering into her waistband—

"We're both waited a long time for this," Michiru finally said. She arched her back so that she was hovering above the blonde—and Haruka fleetingly wondered how the chair was still staying upright, but forgot when Michiru's full chest was in front of her, and the maiden's hand was much lower than the waistband.

"Ah!" gasped the sea captain, hands dropping to grip the edge of the chair, eyes fluttering shut. She could feel the swell of Michiru's chest against her collarbone, and her long hair brushing against her cheek.

"There?" whispered Michiru.

The blonde nodded and gasped again—and realized that she should be doing something more than sitting like some horny virgin school boy—had it _really_ been that long? She finally kicked it into gear, though it was a challenge, wrapping, clinging her arms around the bar maiden who was slowly rocking against her.

—And then there was a knock at the door. The wooden boards of the door shook just slightly as the curled knuckles wrapped, calling attention to both women. Every muscle in Haruka's body relaxed when it realized that it wasn't going to get much at that moment.

"Captain!" called a voice.

"Dammit!" she muttered, and found that Michiru was giggling through her burning ears. "Whoever's behind that door is going to be keel hauled!" she shouted.

Michiru very politely repositioned herself so that the blonde sea captain could get up and answer the door. She watched with high amusement as Haruka somehow managed to walk with so much dignity and at the same time, with the stormy temper of a five year old. Before opening the door, Haruka made sure that she was descent—Michiru doing the same thing behind her. Finally the sea captain flung open the door—seeing Randy at the other end. Her temper couldn't help but to somehow drop as she eyed him.

"What is it?" she asked.

The man shifted his weight a it. "There was a message sent all the way from the Lune Kingdom, needing your services right away. It was from Makoto herself passed down from the Queen."

So soon?

Haruka looked down at the floorboards, greatly dismayed. She couldn't argue with that—and already she was feeling a tightening around her chest and back—as if chained and captured. At that moment the blonde was sure that this was what it felt to be castrated. Behind her, Michiru had moved from the chair to the bed, feeling just as heavy, though for different reasons—she would have to break the news to Oberon a lot quicker than she had expected—or wait for Gods knew how long for Haruka to return again to the wooden island. After a few seconds' pause, Haruka finally nodded her head.

"I'll be there within the hour," the blonde captain sighed heavily. Her second in command finally nodded his head and left, Haruka closing the door behind him.

When she turned around, Michiru was surprised to see that she looked as old as she had looked the night before. It scared her and she immediately missed the more carefree, or at least the younger, side of her blonde. Haruka flopped down next to her.

"It can't be that bad," reasoned the aqua haired maiden, wrapping what she hoped was a comforting arm around her companion.

"Well," countered the blonde, "I can't come and go as I please. I am no longer my own Employer—all to help _the greater good_." She sneered the last bit, and wasn't looking at the bar maiden. However, she was leaning inward, towards the crook of Michiru's arm.

"I'll be with you," Michiru said softly. Haruka slowly nodded, though there was something that she wasn't saying—she still wasn't looking at the aqua haired maiden.

"So what are you going to do?"

Michiru laid down, turning to her side so that she could still look at Haruka comfortably. "Well," she sighed, "I'll have to tell Oberon on such very short notice. Very inconsiderate of me—and I'll feel terrible—"

"You can wait until I return—"

"No. I was going to add, 'but it would be worth being with you,'" Michiru interrupted, though her voice was barely above a whisper. However, she did note the relief on Haruka's face when the blonde did speak. The bar maiden cocked her head to the side. "You're having second thoughts, aren't you?"

"No," said Haruka. She was holding both of Michiru's hands, moving them below her mouth, looking at her with deep blue eyes. "I just want you to be safe. I sure as hell want you with me—but safe. And Elysia seems to be the safest place there is anymore. Neutral territory... I don't know, I've been going over thousands of things in my head, and all about you, it's overwhelming. I want you safe. But I selfishly want you with me."

"I will follow you," insisted Michiru. The blonde didn't know anything about her own adventures, and she prayed that Helios wouldn't open his mouth. Elysia was a home to both women, but far from safe. Although that idea didn't seem to dawn on her blonde sea captain. She looked at Haruka, who seemed reassured at what Michiru said.

"Plus," she added slyly, "We need to finish what we have started." A wicked grin broke out on her face. While Haruka had been talking to her crew mate, she had been undoing the buttons to the back of her dress. The aqua haired maiden would have felt rather depressed if her blonde didn't take advantage of it.

Haruka's spirit seemed to return. "That's right—you still owe me..."

"Owe you?" retorted the aqua haired maiden. Haruka kissed her, doing terribly at trying to silence her. "Owe you?" Michiru said again, trying to keep up the fight, but that was when the blonde sea captain did realize how lose her dress had become. The bar maiden conceded. "Well you did write to me about _some_ part of your life..."

* * *

Eventually, the newly made couple made their way down the stairs, very close to the hour long marker. When Haruka sat at an empty table and ordered coffee, Michiru pointed that fact out. 'They'll find me,' retorted the blonde, 'And will be damned if they try to drag me out by my boots before I'm ready.' Michiru sat across from her and wisely dropped the subject. After a few moments, she finally got up again with what she hoped was enough courage to talk to Oberon.

The gentle giant was at his usual post behind the bar, doing the usual task of violently polishing a mug. His ever scanning eyes quickly latched onto her, and he looked up with a warm smile as she stopped in front of the bar table. Michiru rested the upper part of her body on top of the smoothed wood.

"Well my dear!" he boomed, "How are you feeling?" There was a twinkle in his eye that made the color rise in the bar maiden's cheeks. She couldn't help but to smile either, and when she looked back up at the barkeep, his smile turned to a grin. He chuckled. "What can I do for you?"

The aqua haired maiden found that she couldn't look at him in the face, suddenly feeling guilty—and already missing him, even though she hadn't yet left the island. Oberon sensed that there was something wrong, and moved closer, hovering comfortingly over her. He gently placed the mug right down next to her, and flipped the towel right over his shoulder. Michiru placed a small hand over his large and calloused ones.

"Is there something wrong?" Oberon clearly looked worried. He lifted up her chin with his other free hand, so that he could finally look at her in the eyes. His eyes searched for an answer.

Michiru forced what she hoped sounded like a cheerful laugh. "Well, good news actually, I hope." She found that she was looking down at the table, and she moved her eyes back upwards. "Haruka... Captain Haruka... Asked for me to join her." She stopped, clamping her mouth shut, watching every muscle on her mentor's face.

For a highly intelligent barkeep, he caught on rather quickly about what she meant—that she was going to be leaving her job as a bar maiden. He relaxed, though, relieved that it wasn't as serious as he had first thought—Oberon had guessed that the aqua haired maiden had been through quite a lot before her arrival to Elysia. She had rarely referred to her past, probably enough for him to count on one hand. But the fact that she was _moving on_ was nothing short of miraculous, even if he was losing her.

Oberon's face broke out into a smile. He moved to hold both her hands with his own. "I think that is amazing." His face softened and he turned his head sideways. "I will miss you my dear, but it is what you want..." He looked into her eyes.

Michiru slowly nodded. "Yes." Her own face broke out into a smile, more out of relief at first.

"I knew that you would be leaving. Somehow, I knew as soon as you met that rather interesting captain that you would be leaving soon after." He patted her hands. Now he was looking down at the table, nodding his head slowly. "I will miss you a lot, Michiru, and," he looked up to meet her eyes again, "I do hope that you will visit me as often as you can."

Slowly the barkeeper stood up, and Michiru found that she was running towards the other end of the table so that she could get to him. They hugged, and she found that she was crying, tears welling up in her eyes—but through it she was still smiling. "Thank-you," she whispered over and over again. She hoped that he understood that she was thanking him for her time there, the safety that he had provided, the friends, the life—everything—that he had given to her. Not just letting her go to her future with the sea captain. A hopefully long, happy and bright future.

They parted. "I will visit," she promised, wiping away the tears. She mentally righted herself, and cleared her throat. "But you will try to visit me as well?" she said cockily.

Oberon chuckled, his laugh booming. "Of course my dear, of course!"

Finally Michiru turned away, to go back to the blonde sea captain, as Oberon watched her. Even though the larger part of himself felt happy about her new future, he still felt sad—she was like a daughter to him. And now she was leaving, perhaps to never return. He sighed, distractedly picking the mug back up.

The old man watched her return to the table where Haruka was sitting. He watched the tall blonde stand, and the two talking—perhaps about Michiru's recent conversation with the barkeep. The two women slowly began to walk away, through the crowded, noisy, and chaotic room, weaving around other pirates, navy-men, and bar maidens. They were holding hands, and Oberon hoped that Michiru's future held more happiness than her past had. Haruka opened the door, and Michiru stepped through first, sunlight raining down through the door. When the young maiden stepped through, the captain stepped out behind her—and then the door closed behind them.

She was gone.

* * *

**AN: **

**Thanks** for your review petiyaka! I'm really glad that I've appeared to improved! ^_^


	14. Epilogue

**AN:**

**Ah, so here we are, **the first part of this adventure is over. It doesn't answer very much as far as the background story, but at least now you know that Haruka finally got the girl! ^_~ I wanted to put at least an epilogue in so that you know it's not over yet (ARGH!) before taking a break from writing the next part of the story. Will their relationship endure? What will travelling to the moon kingdom lead to? Are they the lost soldiers? (Well... That one is kind of obvious, no? Still fun to read, I hope!) What about Khaos? What new adventures will lay ahead?

**But never fear,** I have some sort of outline in mind (but I don't even have a title for it yet, heh heh... And I'm really OCD about titles and names, it has to be catchy and awesome! XD) It'll be a bit because I normally like to have a good chunk started so that I can update often and keep up- but keep your eyes pealed for a preview, if you would like! :3 The previous chapters have been edited, so hopefully the writing is a little bit more cleaner if you would like to read it again *nudge nudge hee hee hee...*

**Thanks for your reviews, **Petiyaka and paprika lerone- I enjoyed them very much! And of course I think that Michiru and Haruka can get away with it- but they would have to get creative, I think... ^_~ Actually... That might be a good opening for the next part... Hmmmmm... Thank-you for your compliments paprika- it made me really happy, and I'm glad that you enjoyed this story! It actually made me giddy (hopefully it won't inflate my ego too much...) :D And thank you to everyone who stopped by and read this story, wrote a review, or added it to favorites, and watched it grow! Especially to Petiyaka who reviewed: Every. Single. Chapter. When I updated! That's pretty amazing! ^_^

**Okay... Now I think I'm rambling**, but I'm just really happy that I am finally able to officially finish this part, and let it rest (for a while...) and overjoyed about the support that I've gotten and wanted a chance to thank people ^_^ But here you go! On with the Epilogue! Enjoy (I hope...)

* * *

**Epilogue: The Moon Kingdom**

Every time she entered the palace she felt as though she was in a dream. The floors were marble checkerboard outlined with gold, shaded by vaulted or domed ceilings, depending on where she was. The ceiling was held up by Corinthian columns and delicate marble ribbing. On either side of these sprawling halls were the gardens where people strolled along on breaks. Dotted all over the gardens were the training grounds that she had grown to love and find as a place of peace.

The palace was large enough to hold the royal family, their guards, the staff (which was about the size of a small army), aristocrats, as well as any politician that happened to be visiting (which was very often and often in very large numbers.) The closest to the family had their own apartments, which she rarely had a chance to actually live in.

But for the average townsfolk when first visiting the Lune Kingdom, it wasn't just the palace that made the place feel like a dream. Makoto sighed heavily as she leaned against the balcony. Out ahead of her lay a sea of white, the large moon sinking below it. The white moved slowly and the tips of the waves almost appeared transparent. To a new comer it would take a moment for it to register what the white was: Clouds.

Somehow, the islands floated—high above the earth, just at the level of where the clouds floated. It was something that was impossible, and yet that was how the kingdom lived—since the beginning of time.

The tall brunette turned away, leaning her back against the marble railing. She had long ago lost the awe of the place, seeing more of the tactical advantage points as well as the weaknesses. Sometimes she was almost saddened by this fact—almost—then her daily life would take over and the island would become home.

"Your majesty," she murmured, lowering her eyes and nodding her head slightly.

In front of her stood a young woman of about the same age. Her eyes were lilac blue—and though they appeared soft and kind, they were piercing. The woman's hair was blonde as well, and would have been floor length if it weren't for the two odangoes perched on either side of her head, keeping most of it wound tight and off the floor. The queen wore a flowing white gown, and her appearance matched just that of the palace: a dream.

The smaller woman waved her hand. "No need for the formalities," she replied, smiling wryly.

But Makoto was not going to give in to the light mood the queen was trying to give off. She stared back at her sternly, clearly indicating that she wasn't happy with her ruler. She didn't say a word about her emotions.

"What is the status of the doll?" the brunette finally asked into the awkward silence.

Serenity suddenly did turn serious, and she began to stroll down the open hall, Makoto following inches behind her.

"All according to plan." The queen's voice was quiet: the decision had been hard to make, but something had to be done.

Makoto wasn't going to let her off so easily. "And please—refresh my memory on what the plan is."

The young Queen looked over her shoulder, her face blank and unreadable. But she humored her general and answered her, looking straight ahead of her.

"The doll is being transferred by sea ship, while the decoy is en route—directly here. Hopefully Khaos will go after the decoy, and when that happens, it will give us the opportunity to transfer the doll to airship and then delivered here. Simple."

"Yeah, simple," muttered Makoto.

They continued walking through the hall, eventually coming indoors. Around them buzzed politicians, their whispers bouncing off of the painted domed ceiling. A maze of stairs crisscrossed upwards to the floors that still didn't even scrape the dome because it was so high up. In the center was a water fountain. As they walked closer, the sounds of water blotted out the sounds of whispered debates. Makoto couldn't help but bristle every time one of the visitors bowed slightly towards Serenity.

"You cannot make an unknowing person the decoy—it isn't right!" The brunette struggled to keep her voice under control. And from the piercing gaze she got from her queen, even talking about it was too loud. She ignored the look, and pointedly waited for the blonde to answer.

When the Lune Queen realized that Makoto wasn't going to relent, she sighed, sitting down at the edge of the fountain. "We have no choice. We have the perfect opportunity and we have to take it. I have to take it. The Iphis has had dealings with Khaos, and Khaos would love the chance to pounce at them. Going to grab the doll and pull out a thorn that has long annoyed them—"

"But how does that make us any different from them?" Makoto whispered passionately.

"I have wondered the same thing everyday." Serenity had been staring at the rippling, bubbling water. Finally she looked up. "But I have to hope that in the end it's all going to be worth it. I have to hope that everything will work out. And I know that our goals are not the same as Khaos'. I am willing to sacrifice the few for the many."

Makoto opened a closed her mouth several times. She never liked the term, "sacrificing for the greater good," and the queen had used a version of it. But as the blonde looked down at the fountain, the brunette could see how aged she had become.

She was no longer as naive, nor as hopeful and optimistic as she had once been. She had been worn down from all of the battles, the close calls—and the war with Khaos was not yet fully known to the rest of the world. Nor was the war yet full scale—and that was what Serenity was trying so hard to prevent. For years the queen had fought to keep Khaos quiet and contained. But it was at a price. She continued to get reports of the experiments that the enemy had been conducting—even on its very own people. Even on those closest to the Queen. It was becoming very clear that war was imminent.

They had all lost a lot—but at the sacrifice of what? Keeping Khaos a secret? Keeping all of the other nations ignorant? It would not be long before Khaos would be testing the limits of the numerous treaties that they had signed. Makoto knew: there was a war coming. Serenity had to face the idea. And using Haruka as a red herring was a waste of time and a waste of lives.

The brunette knew that it was possible that Haruka was going to die, or suffer something worse than death. She only hoped that the spunky blonde had left the child back on Elysia. That would be one less thing to be guilty over—a dead child.

Makoto hoped that she could still turn back the plan and that it wasn't too late. Perhaps there was sill time.

"Majesty, if she is like me—if she is like us—why have her killed over this doll? And if she is a simple person, then why bring her into this?"

Serenity was still looking down at the water as it moved and churned. Her light eyebrows were furrowed. Slowly she shook her head, though she appeared to be deep in thought. "She cannot be a normal civilian," she looked up at Makoto, and the taller woman felt her palms becoming sweaty, "If she is, then she is in a lot of trouble."


End file.
